


A Vital Intelligence Operation

by Flyboy254



Category: Leif & Thorn (Webcomic)
Genre: Conspiracy, Gen, Political
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-01-21 17:21:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 59,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12462369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flyboy254/pseuds/Flyboy254
Summary: No nation is without sin.It just depends on what you consider is the lesser evil...





	1. Chapter 1

**A Vital Intelligence Operation**

_The following interviews were compiled over several weeks. The individuals questioned publicly are considered uninvolved in other alleged operations. Further information may be found in the Pres. Olive Romarin official archives._

**Section One - Introductions**

**Gen. Gareth Silverthorn – Interview 1**

_Interviewer meet with Gen. Silverthorn at his home in Burnsport. By this point Gen. Silverthorn had been retired for several months from his position as Chief of Staff of the Ceannic Army._

_Subject Age: 72_

_Former Rank: General, Ceannic Army_

_Family: Celia Silverthorn (Spouse, 69); Clara Silverthorn (Daughter; deceased, 24)_

It was during the weekly intelligence brief, just after the Summerfest celebrations. During the Romarin administration these kinds of meetings were frankly perfunctory affairs. As much as they’ve tried to rewrite her personality Romarin was not a militarily-minded president. Not surprising when you remember she’d never even served in the reserves or border militia. Getting her to focus on the reality of our relationship with Sonheim was like convincing a sea monster to not attack a ship.

_But this briefing was different?_

Vitally so. The Defense Leadership Council had just learned about the acquisition of Juniper Mining by Lord Imri and Lady Stanczia. By now everyone knows the names, but to military intelligence the two were known as the most influential of the Sonheim leeches. Minister Persil was there, Muscade from State as well. If the hunters were there, heaven knows I couldn’t remember it. Admiral Kelp was present, so was Paladin-Commander Redwood.

_Only Paladin-Commander Redwood?_

Trying to gather the knightly orders for a briefing is like trying to herd cats without food. You’d be lucky to wrangle even three of them in the same room for a routine briefing. The only other important figure was Director of National Intelligence, Blackleaf.

Well Pres. Romarin was as flippant as usual. Just striding into the room like it was another press event, holding a bowl of ice cream as she did. “So, what’ve you all got for me today?” God, I hate elections based on personality.

“Madame President,” I said. “We’ve identified a dangerous hole in the fence.” I brought up the news reports of the acquisition of the mine on our table crystal. “Vampire Lords Imri and Stanczia have acquired our only spelltech-capable gemstone mine. We believe that this is an attempt by Sonheimic vampires to gain control over Ceannis’ economy.”

I still remember Muscade’s response. “That’s just paranoia,” he said. “State has investigated the acquisition, everything was by the numbers and perfectly legal.”

_You didn’t believe him?_

I knew the bureaucrat he was, that he would make some weak excuse for sacrificing our national security for the whims of two leeches.

_Sir, this recording could be public record-_

Good, I want them to know exactly what I think. By the time this is public I’ll be dead anyway.

_Very well sir, if that’s how you feel. Now, the meeting?_

Well, Romarin didn’t quite react as much as everyone else in the room did. She just raised her eyebrows as she shoveled another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. “So what’s the problem then? We have all of Sonehim’s food, we’ll be able to hold that over their heads.”

_The statements say you disagreed._

“That may be correct ma’am, but we still need to factor in the reality that now all our military’s spelltech now comes from a historical enemy.” That was all there was to my response. After that was when I brought up the plan.

_Who exactly came up with the plan first?_

It was a joint effort honestly. I was the first to propose it, but Admiral Kelp and Paladin-Commander Redwood both assisted when we met up in the Ministry of Defense in the beginning of the week. We formulated the basics of the plan, had our aides and staff compile all the necessary information. We knew it was going to be a discussion at the very least, but we also knew our numbers and idea was solid.

_And that was the foundation for Operation UNION?_

Essentially. “Ma’am, we have devised a plan to ensure that Ceannis can secure a stable source of spelltech without fear of Sonheimic control cutting off our supply.” I brought up the plans, and just started explaining. “We have intelligence that several rebel and nationalist groups are active within Sonheim’s territories. We believe that these groups, should they regain control of their territories, can ensure a stable supply of spelltech-quality crystals in return for economic and military aid and support.”

_That was when the first rifts appeared?_

“That’s insane,” those were the first words out of Muscade’s mouth. “We’ve barely had six decades peace with Sonheim, and you want to start another war?” *Silverthorn rolls his eyes and spits* That coward didn’t even read the plan when I brought it up. Persil too, that idiot.

_Why did Minister Persil object?_

“The spirits need to be consulted,” she said. Spirits, always spirits with the damned mages. One thing I’ve learned, you can count on a bolt from a 22 a lot more than some damned spirits. “I’d need to take this information back to the Ministry of Prophecy, that way we would know if this plan would be successful.”

_What stopped her?_

Blackleaf. I’m sure you’ll talk to him soon enough, but he said, “Actually the numbers are solid, only minor adjustments are needed on how many weapons would be needed and the money we would need to spend.”

I’m not gonna lie, I still picture Muscade and Persil’s faces when I need a laugh. I don’t think either of them expected the NDI to side with us on this one.

_Why not?_

The NDI just tells the facts, if they weigh in on something it’s because they either know it can work, or because something is a threat that needs to be handled.

_And did he ever tell you which it was?_

You’ll have to ask him that.

**Gantwell Blackleaf, Former Director, National Intelligence Directorate – Interview 2**

_Interviewer communicated via crystal with Mr. Blackleaf over several days; current location of Mr. Blackleaf unknown_

_Subject Age:_ **CLASSIFIED**

_Former Position: Director of National Directorate of Intelligence of Ceannis_

_Family:_ **CLASSIFIED**

I had felt that Silverthorns proposal was actually a reasonable reaction to the seizure of our crystal mine. In total honesty we had already made our own plans, in truth the plan was quite similar to ours. The key difference was resources.

_I’m not sure I understand._

The fact is that the NDI has a very limited budget for covert special operations. We have our own operators and resources, but combined with the Army and Navy, we would have been able to carry out multiple operations compared to the singular plans we would have had to carry out under our own numbers.

_And you saw this as a benefit?_

The NDI had consistently been moving away from relying on the Ministry of Prophecy for judgements on major operations. No one frankly noticed because when we do our jobs right, no one should be noticing anything at all. Besides the fact that prophecy is unreliable. You can have the spirits tell you one thing for months, then seconds after you launch the operation they decide that something else will happen. I decided that the NDI should try making its own decisions for a change rather than let spirits tell us what to do. There’s a reason no one knows that there was nearly a border war with Beal eleven years ago.

Of course, that made us persona non grata in the eyes of the mages. For centuries they were the sole means of reliable intelligence on threats coming down the pipe. Once we started pursuing operations without their prior consultation, we noticed that they began to launch a steady campaign of undercutting our operations as wasteful.

_Were they?_

Did I not just tell you about a border conflict that didn’t happen? Well, Persil tried to counter. “We need to consult the spirits, this is just too dangerous to leave to chance.” I tell her that we can easily make contingency plans to make sure that the most likely eventualities are handled in case they occur.

_Did Mr. Muscade have anything to add?_

Oh, Muscade had plenty to add. His argument basically boiled down to the idea that somehow, we could keep our current course with Sonheim. That somehow, we could allow them to control our spelltech gem supply and nothing would happen afterwords. The man was a fool, more concerned with maintaining State’s reputation than doing what needed to be done.

_And Pres. Romarin?_

That was the thing, she was just watching the whole thing play out. People like to remember Romarin as a gadfly president, more concerned with Kopolvision or the National Pie Council. The truth of the matter is that even with her lack of military experience, Romarin was a sharp mind. As much as the top brass didn’t respect her lack of experience, she knew a good plan when she saw it.

_And she saw it?_

Her exact words were, “Well, with a plan like that, how can we lose?”

**Paladin-Commander Rekat Redwood, Former Commander of the Brotherhood of the Axe – Interview 3**

_Commander Redwood requested that his interviews be held outside the national memorial for fallen members of the Brotherhood of the Axe._

_Subject Age: 75_

_Former Rank: Paladin-Commander, Brotherhood of the Axe_

_Family: N/A_

Best damn job in the world.

_I’m sorry?_

It’s what every Brother and Sister has ever said about their time. “It’s the best job in the world.” Doesn’t matter if they’re infantry or support, it’s always the same. You love what you do.

_But what does that have to do with your decision to support Gen. Silverthorn’s plan?_

Silverthorn understood what that idiot Muscade didn’t. As long as Sonheim had control over our spelltech, they were a serious threat. If they weren’t being considered so by State, it’s because those morons were being played.

_Official records from the Department of State claim that relations with Sonheim were at their best in recent history at the time sir._

You believe those idiots? *Cmdr. Redwood begins to laugh* You’re out of your imp-damned mind son. Those assholes couldn’t admit what everyone knew, that Sonheim was gearing up for something major.

_So the plan was officially launched after that meeting?_

You don’t know much about the military do you? No, the plan was not launched, because we had to bring the entire military, and then the government, into order before we could launch the operation. First was getting the other knightly orders ready for what was going to happen.

_When I interviewed Gen. Silverthorn he mentioned how difficult that would be._

For him, yes. The knights have their own channels to utilize, and we gathered the leadership of the orders together for a meeting. All of them were present; The Raven Order, the Walkers of Exile, the Order of Mountaineers, the Fellowship of the Rose Tree, the Navigators of the Compass, Hounds of the Hunting Dog, the Seekers of the Dreamer, the Callers of the Horn, all there.

_What about the Order of the Chalice?_

*Cmdr. Redwood waves dismissively* Those idiots were in with Persil and Prophecy. Hell, they were guarding the embassy of the same foreign power we were planning on supplying arms to. Would you bring them aboard that early in the game?

_Well, no, when you put it that way._

Exactly. The other knightly orders needed to know exactly what the plan was, and how it would fall into place. *Looks to the wall* You see those names, you see centuries of sacrifice for this nation. We’re the oldest knightly order, and then you have those fools in prophecy, never telling us anything useful to save the lives of our people.

_I’m noticing that as a trend, that the military is seeing the Ministry of Prophecy as a liability. Why?_

Because those assholes are more interested in kowtowing to spirits.

_Sir, you know this is going to be public record one day-_

Good, then I’ll be as blunt as possible so my position won’t be in doubt. Prophecy is the most worthless branch of the government, because it’s so concerned about dealing with spirits that it can’t see the reality right in front of their faces. Just as bad as the damn mages.

_Mages, sir?_

You’re damn right mages. It’s simple logistics. Compare the number of able-bodied Ceannic men and women over age 17. Factoring in those with conditions like those on the changeling spectrum, those who are pacifists, and individuals who have suicidal thoughts, and you’re left with a massive pool of recruits that over any branch’s basic training can be made into a basically trained soldier, sailor, Brother and Sister. Compare that with mages, who take years just to train up to a basic competency and run the risk of going rogue. That they need to act deferential among spirits, rather than pursuing the interests of their nation. It’s the entire reason why the Brotherhood forces mages to go through the same training all Brothers and Sisters do before they begin their specialized schools.

_So mages are only good if their members of the Brotherhood of the Axe?_

Of course. That’s because they earned the title of Brother and Sister.

_And that attitude is why members of the Brotherhood of the Axe were chosen for the roles of advisors in the territories selected for the operation?_

Our job is to be the response force of Ceannis. Just because we’re supposed to be at “peace” doesn’t mean that there’s still wars to fight. Who do you think is on the border of the steppes dealing with the tribes, or making landings on pirate-controlled shores?

_And you saw nothing wrong with the operation?_

You don’t use an axe to make a toothpick.

**Fleet Admiral Falan Kelp – Interview 4**

_Interview with Fleet Adm. Kelp occurred on the shores of Liathgheal, on Adm. Kelp’s private dock._

_Subject Age: 69_

_Former Rank: Fleet Admiral, Ceannic Navy_

_Family: Pulai Kelp (husband, 72); Waja Kelp (daughter, 28)_

As much as I respect the NDI’s capabilities, the truth is that the Navy has the world’s best intelligence services.

_How so?_

Think about everything we must be ready for. You have superstorms from the other side of the planet, pirate and privateer raids on merchant and fishing fleets, reports of sea monsters, and possible state-sponsored smuggling and infiltration via shipping. As much as the NDI can do, without the Naval Intelligence Directorate they’d at best have scattered reports they couldn’t do much with.

_But that’s not why you supported the plan?_

No, of course not. I supported the plan because it was the logical thing to do. Sonheim had our spelltech, and therefore our nationhood, in the proverbial vice. Even with our ports and agricultural capabilities, they could have strangled our modern way of life. We needed spelltech-quality gems, and the Department of State decided that instead of trying to enforce our mining regulations to a higher standard, we should just sell the whole operation to two leeches.

_Sir, you’re aware-_

Look, I’m gonna let my old sailor come through. Fuck those leeches. Anyone who says that they deserve to unlive is more than willing to be their next meal for all I care. I remember one ship we found, it was when I was in command of my first ship. _CNS Pintar_. We found a derelict, drifting just off the coast of the Kinai Peninsula. Whole crew had been drained, passengers too. It sure as hell wasn’t a sea monster that did that.

_Does the entire military have such strong feelings against vampires?_

You would too if you’d read the reports from Northern Command during the last war.

_So it wasn’t hard to convince the other orders of knights that the plan was a good idea?_

Blazes no, it took some time to do that.

_It did?_

Course. The Hounds, Exiles, Mountaineers, even the Ship were relatively easy to bring on board with the plan. The Blades were especially quick to see the idea as a good one.

_Why not the others?_

Mission statements getting in the way of rational thinking. The Callers of the Horn for example. We were proposing a plan that, if it went sideways, would put the people they protect in possible danger. The Dreamers weren’t much easier. They were convinced that simply ignoring Prophecy would result in disaster.

_But the Chalice was the holdout of all the knightly orders?_

Of course they were. The Chalice always seemed to be the ones Prophecy saw as the best to deal with any problems they could “foresee”. A lot of us were convinced that it wasn’t the spirits telling them that the Chalice were the only ones to solve those problems.

Thankfully if you can convince the other orders, it’s hard to argue with the leaders of all the other orders, along with Silverthorn, Blackleaf, and myself. By the time we’d reworked our calculations, the NID had gotten information that there was a growing movement on the border of Doyon that was seeking independence from Sonheim, and good reports about the MLA.

_How did Pres. Romarin react when she was presented with the final plans?_

Don’t let her biographers fool you, she was impressed. She saw the plans as feasible, that they could work. She gave us the go-ahead to proceed with the operation.

**Knight-Captain Niels Saguaro – Interview 5**

_Interview was conducted in_ The Axe Handle _pub on request of the subject._

_Subject Age: 37_

_Former Position: Knight-Captain, Brotherhood of the Axe_

_Family: N/A_

My team had just come back from deployment in the steppes, no one really like those deployments but they had to be done.

_Why?_

Those tribes are assholes.

_You are-_

I’m out, I can speak however I want, thank you. See, the Iulls aren’t so bad anymore, hell they’re practically integrated. The rest? Bastards are downright dangerous, fucking wild animals. They act like ever modern Ceannic citizen personally salted their grazing land and bedded their sisters. You can’t negotiate with that kind of crazy.

_I see._

Oh come off your unicorn. You find me five who served on the steppes who don’t have the same opinions on those hostile tribes. Iulls are alright, hell even the Faralts and Wekuns have made progress towards closer relationships with Ceannis. Then you’ve got the Relam and Partul, and you’ve got predators dressing up like humans. Fuckers still steal women and children from the other tribes, even Ceannic citizens, claiming that they’re part of those tribes by right of possession. Then they’d do whatever they wanted. Fuckers.

_Oh_.

Yeah, ‘oh’ is right asshole.

_Back to the topic though?_

Right, right. Well, we’d just rolled into the Capital, we were on liberty for a few days waiting for new orders. Best part about being back in the city, you can run PT through the university. And we came back when the female river swim season was starting up. Phacelia loved that one. She said, “Sir, you plan the best PTs.”

So we get back to our barracks that morning, and I check my personal crystal to see that there’s orders. Six weeks to prepare for a vital mission to Ceannis’ national security.

_That little time?_

That much time. Given the mission we were being sent on, that was enough time to go over our intelligence documents, organize our roles, make sure that we could organize contingency plans for the fact that something would go wrong.

_But your team had no idea what the mission was at the time?_

We couldn’t afford any Sonheim agents getting their hands on the messages. I went to our headquarters to get the information, and after I left I figured I’d pay a visit to an old friend.

_Thorn Estragon._

_Sir_ Thorn Estragon jackass.

_Sorry, Sir Thorn Estragon._

Better. Yeah, he and I met during a joint training exercise on the Western Coast, amphibious operations. Liked the guy, smart and sharp. Knew how to lead his knights. Plus he wields a heartsword like no one’s business. Better than most of those dolled-up idiots.

_Huh?_

The Brotherhood was founded by a non-heartsword user. The only qualifications were that you knew how to fight, and you knew how to win. Ever since, well, I won’t deny that heartswords aren’t very special to the Axe. It’s why we get all the experimental gear before the other orders.

So I know Thorn’s at the embassy, after that incident with the dragon I heard they were keeping his team at quiet posts. *Mr. Saguaro scowls and glares at the telecrystal showing a brief news report from the Ministry of Prophecy* Assholes, all of’em. “Oh, look at me, I’ve got magic.” Fuckers wouldn’t know how to make a sandwich without the fucking spirits, let alone form an effective battle plan.

_Sir, please?_

Right, right. So, I stop by the embassy, and there’s Thorn scanning the street as he fiddles with his crystal. We say hi, I ask how he’s been, and he mentions his lunch is coming up, so I figure I can treat him and go right back to getting ready.

Well we go to a little pub, talk a bit, catch up on what life’s been like. I get the sense he’s got something good going, and with a little prying I find out it’s because he’s getting a little cozy with one of the embassy slaves.

_You mean servants?_

I mean slaves.

_But-_

Why, exactly, do you keep trying to play this game?

_The official records need to be based on fact, sir._

That’s a fact isn’t it. Sonheim is a slave-holding nation. We outlawed it centuries ago, the U.I. recognized that their civil war was fought over it. You can say they’re servants until you’re suffocating yourself. Those people are slaves, and I won’t call them otherwise just because I have to make the snow queens look nice in the records. If you want spin, go to Muscade or Persil or fucking Romarin.

And judging by the look you’re giving me, I’d say we’re done here.

**Juln Macaster – Interview 6**

_Interview held in subject’s office in Peacockton Tribune_

_Subject Age: 45_

_Position: Editor-In-Chief, Peacockton Tribune_

_Family: N/A_

The first connection I had with any of this insanity, I was a cub reporter for the Tribune. I was running about the city doing flower shows, local events, covering minor deaths.

_Minor deaths?_

Truth is, the majority of deaths only affect the immediate family. We report it, people say how sad it is, then forget about it unless it’s a major political or media figure. Look. *Macaster brings up several obituaries on his desk crystal* Twenty-three people dead in this city at the start of the week, and we only just published their obituaries today. Compare that to this. *Mr. Macaster brings up the front page article concerning the death of Cedar Oseille three weeks prior* The only reason people are still talking about his death was because he was famous and died young.

_So your involvement with the first death associated with Operation UNION…_

Completely mundane as far as I was first concerned.

For the past few days before the death, Bennet Amande had been on a pretty heavy tear against Sonheim, vampires especially. “Undead monsters”, “modern slavers”, “blood-drenched monsters”. It was all typical stuff for him, but he’d been laying it on thicker than usual, calling on Ceannis to support the nationalist movements that were trying to throw off Sonheim’s rule.

_This was unusual in the media?_

I’m a reporter, opinion pieces are only journalism if they research what they’re ranting about. Him ranting on like that, everyone knew that his bosses were paying him for that specific rant that week.

Well, I get to the warehouse where the guy was killed. It looked like a typical hit-and-run accident, the guy was on his way out after work and he gets clipped by a carriage in a hurry. I chalked it up to some rich jerk and would probably never find out what happened because he’d pay his people enough to keep quiet. Only something wasn’t right about the whole thing, call it reporter’s senses.

_You felt something was wrong?_

Just the way it was being handled. The detective on scene had already apparently written his report, the owners had nothing to say, the people didn’t see anything, it all matched up and it all felt too perfect, understand? I can’t put it any other way. What made me know something was up was when I tried to get into the warehouse.

_What happened?_

They wouldn’t let me in.

_Was that so unusual?_

It didn’t make much sense honestly. When I tried to go inside and ask some questions from the other employees, the warehouse security guards kept me out. It wasn’t unusual, but when I checked to see what their primary income came from it turns out they were a dry goods shipper, maybe some food and medical equipment, but nothing that would require security so on guard that a reporter can’t talk to the people inside.

_Did you mention this to your superiors?_

I did, but they didn’t want to risk too many people on the job. I was told that if I wanted to pursue it, I was on my own.

_So what did you do?_

*Mr. Macaster grins, motions to his office* I’m here aren’t I? 

**Henrich Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 7**

_Mr. Larson-Pavelovich requested that his interview be held in his apartment in the Limestone Cliffs neighborhood._

_Subject’s Age: 33_

_Former role: Chief of Combat Operations, Manborg Liberation Army_

_Family: N/A_

I was first involved with the MLA when I was 17, just after my parents were taken away by the Bureau for State Safety.

_Why were they taken?_

“Unsafe actions for the general population” was the charge. The reality was that they were part of the Movement for an Independent Marborg. Sonheim doesn’t like it when their conquered subjects try to rise and stand up for themselves. They came for my parents when I was at school. I never found out what happened to them.

_I’m-_

Don’t. You don’t get to apologize for something you didn’t care about when it was happening.

_But-_

Where was Ceannis when my people were being made Sonheim “citizens” without our input? Where were the protests? Did your Senate try to support us when our military tried to make their stand in the east of the country? Your nation didn’t care what happened to us, you were fine with letting us be rolled over when the elves and their bestial masters so long as you kept getting your crystals.

Look at this apartment. Your poorest, the most struggling in this nation, they are given support, aid in job training, the ability to get a better education or vocation training. Do you know what Sonheim offers you if you struggle? They give you the chance to sell yourself. To be used by those with means for whatever they want. Vampires are bad. They drink your blood. They use you as a toy. They play with your mind. The only difference between them and the elves is that the elves don’t have the decency to kill you when they get tired of you.

You’re quiet. You didn’t know that the elves were so bad?

_You do know that this is all going to be public record right?_

Good. I want them to know the suffering my people went through under Sonheim.

_How did you begin your work in the MLA?_

I started just by beating down elves in the street. Grabbing the rich ones that were too stupid to know where they were walking at night and beat them bloody before grabbing their money. I was just a thug back then, stealing and beating in the shadows to survive. I gained a reputation though, that’s when the MLA found me.

_They offered you the position then?_

Of course not. I was just a thug, they just told me where to be and what to do. I was a lookout, warning about when the Public Safety Bureau would respond to a bank robbery or murder. I was quick on my feet and able to think fast, especially on the day when the PSB thugs decided to try grabbing innocent men because they couldn’t find us. I told the others to stop them, there we only two of them and three of us, and we’d learned to fight. We stole their crossbows and bolts, made sure to put two through their eyes to make sure they couldn’t say anything. Smashed their crystals too, kicked the pieces into the nearest sewer.

_And the MLA were happy?_

I killed two PSB and stole their weapons, and we weren’t found. They were impressed. That was when they put me in charge of a squad.

_For the record, can you explain the MLA’s structure?_

Well we weren’t organized like the other groups in other nations. They all had leaders, but they weren’t under anyone’s command. A cell in one city might actually do something one night that would handicap a cell in a city halfway across the country. Us, we were organized. Our leadership handed down plans and dates, the brigade commanders sent it down to the companies, and then on down to the squad leaders like me.

_That sounds rather complicated._

It’s the reason we were some of the first ones called up by the NDI for their plans.

_Because you were organized?_

Because we were the best of them all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Section 2 – Preparations**

**Mr. Blackleaf – Interview 8**

Planning an operation like this isn’t as simple as sending a few boxes to the rebels and letting them loose into Sonheim’s territories. If we were connected in any way to be directly supplying the rebels, that was it for the peace.

_Which is why the NDI went to the United Islands?_

Nowhere better. The U.I.’s a mercantile economy, dozens of corporations willing to make a profit, no questions asked. It was easy enough, we set up a dummy corporation, enough staff to look respectable in case anyone thought to investigate as things wound up. A nice office in Peacockton, shipping dry goods through Ceannic shipping companies to other companies in the U.I. Buy the loyalty of the people working there, and you’re good to start planning the route. The UI was easy though, the pain was going to be getting the goods through Doyon.

_Doyon was the difficult factor?_

Doyon public officials might as well be made of iron for how easy they are to bribe. Every piece of paperwork has to be marked properly, every manifest has to add up, even the lint has to be in the proper places. It didn’t help that they knew Sonheim was looking at their northern highlands as their next expansion.

_You mean if any of the shipments went through Doyon and were uncovered-_

Pretext for invasion. Granted, that would have made the public, and world, even more sympathetic. We didn’t have the resources for that kind of operation though, we had to shelve that for another time.

_So this company was the one who the weapons were being shipped through?_

No, they were being shipped to the U.I. under that corporation. After they arrived at the norther ports in the U.I., they were handed to another company for ownership and shipping to a third company to the west, where ownership was transferred again and shipped to the Kinai Peninsula where ownership was given to a fourth company. _Then_ it was shipped to Doyon, to a fifth company, where it was brought to contacts we had placed on the border to facilitate the movement of the weapons.

_That seems incredibly complicated._

Would you have rather we just declared war on Sonheim and decimated our northern states?

_Would you say that these other companies were easy to work with?_

Not in the least. U.I. Dry Goods wanted guarantees that they wouldn’t be caught up in any international incidents. The Kinai workers unions had to practically be bought out to make the shipments. Never mind the cover of the shipments by actually using crates of dry goods to cover the weapons shipments. All in all a good chunk of our budget had to go to it. Still, the fact that we managed to both carry out the opening stages of Operation UNION and still keep our standards of intelligence for the rest of our stations, highlight of my career.

_Would you say it was easier to get the advisors into Sonheim?_

Stars no. Think about it, they’re convinced as a nation that anyone who isn’t pointy eared and pale as milk is a barbarian. They can instantly recognize the differences in the dialects through specific phrases. We couldn’t just grab a knight descended from the Islands or Getsun and try to pass them off as anything other than a suspicious foreigner.

_So all the advisors had to be of Sonheimic descent._

Not many of those in the NDI and Brotherhood.

_But there were enough?_

More than enough. First we had to give them fake identities, make it look like they had whole lives they’d lived before they came back to the homeland. We had to set up a support network, put additional agents and operatives in place so that they’d have a place to flee if their operations went sideways or they were becoming suspicious. Doyon wasn’t going to be easy for that either, but somehow people weren’t as important as the shipments.

_Why?_

Doyon didn’t consider people as dangerous as smuggling.

_I don’t understand._

Neither do I, but to Doyon we’re insane for simply letting in any shipment from any land with just a check of the manifest and the occasional sniffer dog.

_How long did it take to set this up then?_

The shipping and backgrounds were the hardest part. We set up a good number of listening posts and safe houses in Doyon, we knew they had the best chance of resisting Sonheim’s movements if the other nations on the coast fell. It wasn’t hard to turn them into a kind of carriage road to move the shipments and advisors from the coast to the border. The best part was that by the point we had the operation ready, their legitimate covers were so well known to the local Doyon authorities they weren’t considered a problem.

_What was considered a problem?_

The weapons.

**Command Sergeant Palar Jun – Interview 9**

_Interview conducted in the National Ceannic Armory_

_Subject Age: 43_

_Rank: Command Sergeant_

_Unit: 17 th Heavy Weapons Regiment, 4th National Weapons Battalion, Central Force_

The thing everyone likes to say was that Gen. Silverthorn was sending our best weapons to the rebels, but that wasn’t true at all. By the time UNION was authorized, the Army and Navy had entire stockpiles of dated and obsolete weapons systems gathering dust as they were phased out.

_So weapons like the Mk. 22 and Mk. 15 were never given to the rebels?_

Our own advisors didn’t use them for fear that the Sonheimic PSB would be able to draw a more direct connection. Weapons aren’t as secure as many people think. Shipments can be hijacked, even if they’re on official military carriages or ships. Pirates are especially bad with this, they’ll steal entire cases of weapons off contracted merchant ships and either use them or put them to sale on the black market.

_This was a concern?_

I’m not sure about the specifics.

_So what weapons were we giving to Sonheim’s rebels?_

*Cmd. Sgt. Jun motions to a table already laid out* These were the most common weapons sent to the rebels. The most common was the Mk. 12 crossbow. *Hefts a small crossbow* Basic weapon for our forces about thirty years ago, holds five bolts in a top-mounted box, and uses a basic slide system to rack the bolt. *Hefts the weapon, demonstrates the action* It was phased out for the 14 and 15 after we learned continued use could lead to the bow weakening in combat. Even if you replaced the rope you’d still risk the wood snapping on the slide, or the magazine failing to feed properly despite proper maintenance. Once we got our hands on the Mk. 14 and later the 15, especially the spring-loaded bottom mounted magazines, we quickly began phasing out the 12.

Then we have the Mk. 16. *Demonstrates the reloading on the weapon* Powerful, but only because of the larger size of the weapon. What really hurt us was the fact that you could at best send one bolt downrange every two minutes thanks to the pulley reloading system. The failure was that we didn’t even have the pullies integrated, you had to carry the winch and ropes on your belt and use them when you had to reload. Once we worked out the kinks with an integrated pulley system, the 16 was quickly taken out of active service.

Now here, we have the Mk. 1 Launcher. *Hefts a massive metal tube* It looks and _is_ an ungainly beast, but it was our first method of direct fire support for infantry squads. It didn’t help that you needed an entirely separate soldier to carry the ammunition. *Holds up a massive iron cannonball with a fuse* You had to load the weapon by making sure the spring mechanism was properly adjusted, putting the shell into the barrel, and _then_ lighting the fuse. Worse, even with our advances by that point the fuses could still detonate early and kill the team operating the weapon.

_Some would claim that you were purposefully unloading our weapons that were no longer safe for our own troops._

It would appear as that, yes. What people are forgetting when they make those claims is that the Ceannic military fights a very different type of combat from the groups we were supplying. Our units must be prepared to fight sustained combat operations, no matter their location. These rebel groups were only fighting hit-and-run skirmishes, fighting for at most ten to fifteen minutes before falling back. With our weapons, they could fight longer, and against more dangerous Sonheim forces.

_So you’re saying that the rebel forces were pleased with what they were getting?_

I can’t say, I wasn’t involved in the operation.

_Can you say how effective these weapons were?_

Same answer. I can only tell you about the specifics about our weapons systems and equipment.

_Like the Mk. 7?_

Ah, the Mk. 7. *Walks over to a display holding a deactivated Mk. 7 Communications Crystal* When this baby came out, we were struggling to figure out how to effectively shield our comms from interception by hostile powers. Even the steppe tribes had figured out methods to intercept our communications, so we needed an upgrade soon. When the Magic Warfare Division came up with this one, everyone was impressed. Not only was it easier on the operators to use, but it’s able to automatically switch between encoded frequencies to ensure that even if the enemy starts to break through, a millisecond after they lock on they’re forced to deal with a different signal.

_The display says that they were only produced using gems from the Juniper Mine._

Basic logistical security. If we had used crystals from any Sonheim mine, there was no guarantee that the crystals wouldn’t be tampered with.

_And when Juniper Mining was bought out by Lord Imri and Lady Stanczia?_

I can’t speak with any authority on that.

**Adm. Kelp – Interview 10**

_The reports on UNION indicate that the NID were instrumental in setting up the operation’s supply chain._

Of course, I told you that naval intelligence is the best in the world. We’d had agents in place from Doyon to Beal, even Tamapoa. Actually, all we need to make an agent in Tamapoa is some metal shavings and a couple of cheap trinkets. Those little dopes jump at the chance to work for you. Our biggest customers though, those were the Sonheimic admiralty.

_How’s that?_

“The Sonheim Navy is building up. They’re buying a rowboat from Tamapoa.” The Sonheimic Navy is a joke. The only reason they’re even considered a power is numbers. Even compared to our merchant fleet their line warships are undermanned and obsolete. Combining our bribes with the NDI, we were able to keep Sonheim’s fleet far and away from the sea lanes we were using.

_They accepted that you were working against their nation?_

They didn’t care. They had their little slice of power, and as far as they were concerned it was the fault of the BSS and Sonheimic Army. If they were better at their jobs, then the weapons shouldn’t have been able to cross the border. Of course, that was another fun can of worms to play.

_Why is that?_

The BSS and Sonheimic Army hate each other. To the Army, the BSS are a group of worthless political players intent of taking credit when the Army succeeds and throwing innocent Sonheimic citizens into tundra prisons if something goes wrong. To the BSS, the Army is a bunch of rock-banging thugs who spend most of their time getting drunk and ruining their operations by taking more and more money from their own operations. They both have to suck up to the nobility to get anything done for either force, and whoever does it best gets the cash.

_Leaving the Navy…_

The beaten stepchild of the Sonheim military. Throw enough cash at those admirals, I can promise you they would have done a strip show in Peacockton.

 _Sir, please_.

I’m _retired_ , I can say what I want now. Hell, wait for some of what Redwood has to say. You haven’t seen salt yet.

_Moving on._

Well, NID starts staking out the ports we needed to use. With NDI’s help we identified the more pliable officials, the more easily bribed pirate groups, and the safest lanes that would be clear of sea monsters.

_You bribed pirates?_

We had to. We couldn’t afford our shipments getting hijacked and used to raid our own shipping. If we had sent First Fleet on more aggressive patrols it would’ve been obvious that they were involved in something massive.

_What did you bribe them with?_

Weapons worse than the ones we were giving the rebels.

_So you bribed pirates with weapons to keep them from stealing our weapons? You understand how this must sound to anyone who might look at this._

The pirates weren’t dumb. They agreed to stay clear of our shipments, as well as striking at the Sonheimic Navy.

_So you were using pirates as well?_

I’ll admit that it wasn’t part of our original planning, but when we realized how useful the pirates could be we brought the notion up to Silverthorn and the knightly orders. Once they realized how useful it could be we they weren’t opposed in the slightest. Except for the Chalice.

_The Chalice disagreed with using pirates?_

They were still set against the whole operation. Even after they relented they tried to keep up their little fight, saying that the preparations were too complex to be carried out effectively. That the pirates weren’t trustworthy.

_Were their fears justified?_

Look at what happened to the Apro Bay Marauders.

**Mr. Blackleaf – Interview 11**

One of the first corsair groups contacted were the Apro Bay Marauders. You did the research?

_They looked like an especially violent piratical group._

That’s an understatement. They’d created a miniature criminal empire in their area of control, practically ruling the Getsun Straights. Even with our fleets making constant patrols in the region, their attacks were hurting out shipping badly.

_And they were offered weapons in exchange for cooperation?_

At first we thought they were going to work with us. Then the first reports came in that they had hit several merchant ships. Response vessels had reported that the survivors said the pirates were even more ruthless.

_Why?_

They thought we wouldn’t stop them. We knew that if they kept this up, they would continue to use our weapons as tools to attack further shipping, of our own and other nations.

_Was this considered a part of Operation UNION then?_

By necessity. The Navy was too public for this, we were tasked with handling the situation.

_So the NDI does have combat forces then?_

No, we have field operatives with training capable of working such operations.

 _I have the reports from the officials of the Getsun Naval Defense Force_ _that found the hideout of the Marauders._

And?

_The reports stated that when the bodies were found, they had been left there for several days, in the climate they were nearly unrecognizable._

I saw those reports.

_They also mentioned that there were several non-combatants who were killed along with the pirates. Women and men who were found unarmed, shot in the back with bolts._

Associates of pirates despite it.

_And the finding of corpses outside the pirate citadel shot repeatedly outside the front gates?_

The reports do mention they were armed.

_I’m sorry, so you’re saying that no one cared that these pirates were killed?_

You’ll note that the GNDF reports note; “This will give our mercantile fleets an increased range of movement through the Getsun Straights.” I personally don’t shed many tears for pirates, do you?

_Well, no._

So tell me then, when pirates are dead, and other pirates are sent a message, what’s the problem?

_Isn’t the murder of unarmed civilians considered a crime under the Ceannic Code of War and Arms?_

Find the section of that document that mentions that we in the NDI have to adhere to it.

_So in your mind, the attack was justified?_

The pirates didn’t attack a single of our ships after that.

_Is that a yes?_

It’s an answer.

**Gen. Silverthorn – Interview 12**

The annihilation of the Marauders was part of why the NDI was invaluable to this operation. Their ability to infiltrate the forces necessary to eliminate threats to our periphery was the reason UNION went as far as it did.

_What was left to do then?_

A good deal frankly. We had to finalize the routes through Doyon into the Sonheim territories, as well as getting supplies to the MLA through several lesser rebel organizations and movements. We also needed to ensure that the public was in full support of these movements, or at least bombarded enough with the message that supporting them was a just act.

_I thought you had Bennet Amande already putting out pro-rebel propaganda?_

He was hardly enough. As much as he’s Ceannis’ “number one truth teller”, the fact was that his listener base was primarily angry old men and women longing for the old days and die-hard fans who would believe him if he said you could walk off a building and not slam into the pavement. No, we needed to win over the rest of the nation.

_How could you do that?_

We needed to get the proof of Sonheim’s actions in their occupied territories into the national discussion. There needed to be dinner table talk of what was happening, put the Sonheim interest groups on the defensive. Even make series like Pretty Combat Mountaineer a sign that the fans supported the actions of the Sonheim nobility and vampires.

_You could do that?_

The NDI and NID had been compiling a steady series of images and stories from Sonheim, reports of abuses and killings and tortures from the PSB, the BSS, Sonheim Army, and the various vampire lords. *Silverthorn slides a folder over* Look for yourself.

_Sir, this isn’t necessary-_

That wasn’t giving you an option.

*1st Image: Several laborers on strike in a port being beaten by BSS officers. Even though the men are unarmed, the BSS officers have drawn blood and are beating an unconscious striker about the head and neck*

*2nd Image: Picture of a prisoner in a PSB facility. He has two nodes attached to his body, a PSB officer holds a crystal that the nodes lead to. The man is being shocked by the PSB officer; his eyes are rolled back into his head as his mouth foams*

*3rd Image: Sonheim Army soldiers stabbing several men and women in the back in front of a mass grave. Dozens of other men, women, and children are being forced to watch at swordpoint. One of the victims appears to be a religious leader*

*4th Image: A vampire is feeding from a clearly underage victim, having ripped the skin off the neck to gain blood more rapidly. The victim is unconscious, judging by the blood loss possibly dead from the feeding.*

These were some of the more tame pictures we received. I have others that you can see, ones that show just how depraved Sonheim can be when they have a problem to deal with.

_I’m fine sir._

Thought so. The trick was timing these images right. Too fast, Sonheim would be suspicious. Too late, and public support could fall to another cause like what’s going on now. “Save the Tamapoa Ducks”, I swear…

_The teams being sent to Sonheim?_

All nearly assembled by this point. The Brotherhood teams were coming up short, however, so we had to utilize several Army and Navy operations officers alongside the knights. Just as skilled as the Brothers and Sisters, and all with Sonheimic ancestry and a knowledge of the language.

_Was there debate on calling up the other knightly orders?_

At times, though we were holding off on that idea for the time being. If things were to go well but with casualties we needed a reserve.

_So overall, the initial stages were going smoothly?_

One thing you need to remember in all this. No plan ever survives contact with the enemy. Leachtric knew that, and embedded it in the military’s consciousness for all time. We knew that once we commenced operations, Sonheim wouldn’t just sit on their hands. We had to be ready, but we needed a key figure. Someone the nation could see as a respectable figure and had already earned the admiration of the national political movers.

_Thorn Estragon?_

_Sir_ Thorn Estragon.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 12**

Just before we shipped, I figured I’d give myself a little treat after PT one day. Stopped into a bakery I’d learned about thanks to Thorn, place had some good chocolate muffins.

_And this is something that was vital to the mission?_

It was psychological. See, I stopped in, not much had changed. Only as I’m ordering my breakfast, I notice that there’s a little sign on the counter that says, “No cold drinks – Please bear with us”. So I ask the son of the owner what the problem was.

“The cooling crystal is cracked,” he says, “My dad can’t find a new one, he said they’re real expensive.”

_The price increases from the purchase of the mine._

That kid was 12, probably had no idea what was happening outside his home. He’s there just doing a job for the family before and after school, earning some pocket change as allowance. He doesn’t have any idea that those crystals are vital to his family’s livelihood. I started thinking of all the other families in Ceannis who couldn’t afford new crystals. Comms, utilities, how long until they couldn’t afford the most basic of necessities to eat and communicate?

_This made you upset?_

It made me fucking furious. We didn’t rise to become the dominant nation on the planet just to let two leeches turn us into their fucking slaves. There I was, Brother of the Axe, and I was forced to just stand by and let people like that kid suffer because they couldn’t afford a new crystal? Like fucking hell.

_Would you say this is part of the reason UNION-affiliated cells were considered so dangerous?_

It sure as hell didn’t hurt us. I brought it up, made sure the whole team knew what was going on. Everyone was angry after learning that one.

_May I ask a personal question?_

Go ahead.

_In your honest opinion, would you say you’re racist towards those on Sonheimic descent?_

*Mr. Saguaro motions to his own pale skin* You don’t interview many Brothers or Sisters, do you?

_I’m only trying to be complete for the record._

Look, my problems with Sonheim are personal, but not because of fucking racism. My mother fell in love with a Getsun border guard. You want to know what her family did when they found out? They disowned her, cut her off, said she was soiling herself with barbarians. I didn’t find out until a few years ago, and do you have any idea how hard it is as a teenager to hold your mother as she cries for telling you the reason I don’t know my mom’s side of the family? Like somehow it was her fault?

_So you would say this affected your decision to participate in the operation then?_

They say you shouldn’t seek revenge, but hell if it didn’t feel good to be getting ready to make those fuckers pay for everything they do.

_You saw nothing wrong with this?_

Not a fucking chance.

_What about the rest of your team?_

We all left didn’t we?

**Juln Macaster – Interview 13**

So I get to digging into this guy, and what I find isn’t all that odd. Working to pay for school, family on the Beal border, high school with some college credits already completed, nothing unusual at all. What gets me is the company.

_What specifically made you suspicious of it?_

Well I look into it, and I find out that the paper trail only goes back a few weeks. Well okay, it could just be a startup. So I look for their mailing address for their offices, and it turns out it’s a post box. I look for where their startup capital came from, but it’s scattered from a dozen different bank accounts. All of this felt wrong, so I took it to our financial section guys and they agreed it was more a shell company than any legitimate business.

_What did you think at first then?_

I thought it was a criminal front, some kind of organized crime money laundering play. So I took the idea to our crime desk, and they agreed with financial, but then they mentioned something that I don’t think they thought would mean anything. As I’m talking with one of the editors, they mentioned, “You know, it’s almost like they had a murder.”

_A murder?_

If you have the capability to do it, a hit-and-run killing is nearly impossible to prove as murder. First, because even as good as we are with public safety, if someone runs through the middle of the street and a carriage is coming through, well the victim was just an idiot. If they don’t find the carriage, then no one has to worry about any cops getting too involved in the first place.

_So you pursued the organized crime angle at first?_

I hit the beat, I went to as many sources of information as I could find. Street hustlers, prostitutes, anyone and everyone who might be in contact, have something to say for enough money. Only problem was, no one was hearing anything out of the ordinary. U.I. crime families, Doyon gangs, Beal cartels, no one had made any moves to buy a warehouse.

_What did that leave you with at the time?_

Espionage. The crime guys said that when I came back to follow up, the only other groups that would pull something like that would be foreign agents setting up an observation point for covert operations. We figured that if this was going on, we needed to bring it to the authorities as fast as possible. We contacted the National Police Agency, and they told us that they’d give us the first call once they finished an investigation.

_But you kept your own investigation going?_

Even before this we knew better. The government isn’t perfect, Leachtric proved that.

**Special Agent Iram Porand – Interview 14**

_Interview conducted in the NPA headquarters building._

_Subject Age: 48_

_Position: Special Agent-in-Charge, Capital District_

_Family: Tala Porand (Spouse, 43); Rapo Porand (Son, 8)_

I was a new special agent when I got this case, fresh off making a key break in a case against the Hill Winter gangs that got me the job. With the NPA charged with counter-intelligence, it was actually pretty surprising to get the case.

_Because you were still new to the position?_

You don’t hand espionage cases to rookies. Do you remember the case involving a Sonheim espionage ring operating near the Mountaintop Observatory?

_They were convinced that the observatory was being used to stage reconnaissance operations in their own territory?_

Of course, Sonheim denied everything and left the traitors here for us to deal with. They broke easily enough, but sine Sonheim probably had the crucial evidence destroyed we could only convict the conspirators for their actions. Easy enough case though, all sentenced to life in prison without parole, and any heartswords stricken from the official rolls.

_So the NPA didn’t take the case so seriously?_

They took it seriously enough at first. Team of agents, warrants, whole kit ready to work. Only once we traced the money, our priorities were shifted. Apparently, there were reports of U.I. ships hauling in contraband and we had to stop it.

_That struck you as odd?_

The NPA takes espionage incredibly seriously. Whatever “black” counter-intel group there is, we know that they only focus on leeches and monsters. We’re the ones doing the grunt work breaking up rings of enemy agents and tracking down traitors to their own country. Funny thing though, want to know which nations have been the most prolific in infiltrating agents?

_Which ones?_

Above all others, Getsun is number one.

_Why?_

Sometimes you just need to keep a close eye on your neighbor.

_Still, you clearly felt that something odd was happening._

No doubt. Just suddenly getting reassigned like that isn’t unusual, but the evidence in the U.I. case barely existed, like someone had planted it there and expected us to forget about the previous investigation.

_But you didn’t._

I couldn’t.

**Gen. Silverthorn – Interview 15**

We had everything in place, but there was one thing we needed to make a dent. We needed a _cause celeb_ , and the problem was we didn’t know where to find one.

_There was no one in the government that could be that person?_

It wasn’t that. Anyone in the government could be the voice of anti-Sonheim sentiment, and it would be just as blatant as how we used Amande. We needed someone that was connected to someone relatively well known, someone who could drum up the right kind of controversy necessary to get the people on our side.

_And how did Sir Estragon factor into this?_

Estragon was already known for his fighting against the Wyrm of Ruraidh, and the annihilation of his team essentially made him a known name in the military and among the people. Plus the public expects the words of a knight to carry weight, even if they’re a member of the Chalice.

_But there weren’t any problems? The knights have their own commands, how would you gain authority over him?_

As much as she annoyed me, Romarin was commander in chief. All we needed to do was tell her that Sir Estragon would be a valuable part of the plan.

_When did he first become part of the plan?_

It was during a cultural festival at the embassy, showing off Sonheim in their Spring. Well we were there as part of the official military delegation; Adm. Kelp, Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood, and myself. We took it in turns, Blackleaf’s people had already acquired a heavy dossier on the man.

_So you were going to manipulate him?_

In not so many words, yes, that is exactly what we were going to do to him.

_How did it start?_

Kelp took him first, the key was that he actually served with Thorn’s mother.

**Adm. Kelp – Additional**

Clover Estragon was a fine sailor, one of the best in my command. Only problem was that she couldn’t ever keep herself focused. *Kelp chuckles* I remember after one port call in Getsun, my chief told me, “Sir, if that woman isn’t promoted and sent on some other ship I _will_ throw her overboard.” Well, he was a tough old salt, but he knew that Estragon was a damn good sailor and one of the best sword fighters aboard.

_You awarded her two of her medals of merit, correct?_

One for single-handedly capturing the leader of the Relvez pirate fleet, and the other for her defense of a disabled merchant ship while the battle raged around her. Not only did she not lose a single one of her men, she kept the ship from further damage or loss of life. When you focused Clover Estragon on a task, you saw the best.

_And when she wasn’t?_

You had a moron who couldn’t recognize when she was getting sucked into a bad idea. More than once I had to have her stand mast for being caught in gambling dens with pretty girls, or encouraging the ratings that of _course_ it was alright to rig a sail-pool aside the ship ahead of a storm to make it more “interesting”. Truth be told, it still amazes me that she was never dishonorably discharged from the service.

_But that’s not what you told Sir Estragon._

Of course not! You don’t bring a man aboard after insulting his mother. No, as flawed as she was there was enough good about her to hook Sir Estragon. I stepped away from the party for a short time, all three of us had been given disruptor crystals, capable of disabling any Sonheimic surveillance technologies. Well, I meet with Thorn at his gate, strike up a conversation, mention the work he did on the dragon. Then I roll into talking about his mother. “Finest sailor”, “troublemaker”, “Devoted sailor and patriot.”

_He didn’t have a problem?_

I think that was one of the first times he’d ever heard someone who'd actually served alongside his mother praise her so frankly. When I said she’d be so proud of how far he’d come, I swear he was about to start bawling. If he knew he was being played then, he sure didn’t show it.

_So what happened then?_

I start in on little things, how his mother wouldn’t agree with what we were putting out about Sonheim. *Kelp sighs* Truth be told, I didn’t care what his mother’s politics were towards Sonheim. As far as I was concerned, my mission was to convince him that speaking out against Sonheim was something his mother would approve of.

_He believed you?_

He was about ready to cry. Give it a few minutes, it was Redwood’s game to win or lose.

**Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood – Additional**

Even if they’re Chalice, they’re still knights. What makes us different from the Army and Navy is that we have to hold ourselves to an impeccably high standard of personal honor. Knights don’t keep their mouths shut when someone around them is doing something wrong, cultural norms be damned. From what we’ve learned, Sir Estragon had already shown the snow queens exactly that.

_Your job was to go after his sense of morality._

Kelp had already landed a blow, I was supposed to go widen the breach. About an hour after Kelp does his bit, I make my way over to the guard post and start talking. Talk to him about his last few duty posts, his team, the usual questions he’d probably gotten three dozen times before. That’s when I start hitting him about serving up North and at the embassy. What he’s seen, who he’s met, and then he tells me about Leif.

_Your reports say Leif was a kind of emotional lynchpin for the plan?_

More like he was the leverage we needed to push Sir Estragon in our direction. If Estragon was a card player, he’d be one of the worst. I press a little, and he says that he saw Leif being fed on by Imri and Stanczia. So, I go for the jugular. “You must have wanted to do something, huh.”

_What happened?_

He didn’t deny it. He even admitted that he’d been doing research into worker’s rights organizations fighting for Sonheimic laborers and slaves. Wasn’t too hard to convince him that the government could use someone to speak on the issue.

_What did he say to that?_

Nothing immediately. Blackleaf said that this kind of thing can take time. Still, it made it clear that our odds were good that we could hook him.

_You weren’t worried about any pushback?_

I mentioned the programs we had to aid refugees and illegal immigrants to help them integrate as citizens. Like his friend Saguaro’s family.

_So you let him know that there was a definite path for the person he was interested in?_

I say this with all due respect for his accomplishments; Sir Estragon was easier to play than a fiddle. It was obvious he was compromised by his affection for the slave at the embassy, and if Sonheim got their hands around that he could become a risk to national security. I don’t believe in coincidence, but luck? Luck is always around the corner.

Well I hit him hard with his duty to country and order. I reminded him that as a knight of the Chalice his very life is defined by his honor and his actions in pursuit of right. Honestly, I think I probably laid it on thick, but it was getting through to him, and that’s what was important. By the time I got done he just had that look, that face that says, “I will not rest until I accomplish this task.”

It was all on Silverthorn from there.

**Gen. Silverthorn – Additional**

By the time I had made my way to the guard post, Thorn had already been through Kelp and Redwood. My move was simple. Pose the question of whether or not he would be willing to accept a supplementary assignment along with his current post. One that would forward the efforts of our nation to assist in aiding those who wanted to escape their bonds of servitude and live free lives.

_You felt he would see that as the right thing to do?_

I posed it to him just like I told you. He didn’t even ask what the assignment would be, he just agreed without hesitation.

_So he accepted an official order of the government then?_

The military doesn’t “accept” orders. They do as they’re told.


	3. Chapter 3

**Section 3 – Initial Operations**

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 16**

We got the first weapons three weeks after we were contacted, by the time they got to us several of the other groups had taken their pound of flesh. Still, there were enough weapons to start increasing our operations, and more importantly start gaining funds.

_I thought your goal was throwing off Sonheim’s rule over your territory?_

You think we could do that without money? It had to be careful, we had to start hitting them where they were most vulnerable. If we had gone after their gold caravans we would have been easy targets, stamped out and driven back underground. We also needed to make it clear that we were fighting for our people still.

_This is what started the bank campaign._

While all the other groups had to wait for their Ceannic advisors, we had already planned several bank raids. Elves put more importance on their money than the lives of their own employees.

_What was the first bank robbery?_

Raid.

_Sorry, raid._

We had targeted one of their smaller banks first, a branch of a subsidiary of some monster-controlled banking conglomerate. They were infamous in their area for predatory loans and seizing property when the owners couldn’t keep up with the interest. They would be the first.

Now a bank robbery isn’t just charging into the bank and grabbing money. You have to factor in response times of the authorities, possible heroes in the customers or staff. There might be mitigating factors like unknown security systems you didn’t know about, or armed plainclothes guards. We had to scope the bank for two weeks, make sure that we had a decent layout for the interior. We noticed that the manager was a fat bastard of an elf, mocking the staff and smiling as he told widows and families that there was no way the bank could forestall taking their properties. He would help make our statement.

_What was the plan?_

We arrived about two hours after the bank had opened, as the staff started to settle into their routines. Routine is valuable, it lulls people into a sense of security, makes them complacent. The two guards outside the entrance were easiest to plan for, we had sharpshooters on two nearby rooftops with our new crossbows.

As we walk up to the bank, we notice the guards start to notice us, wearing our long coats and gloves. Before they can react, our men fire. *Larson smiles* They were powerful bolts, straight through their bodies, pinned them to the damned building. We put on our masks, run in, and force everyone on the floor. There were four of us, myself and three of my squad. We burst in like demons, slugging employees and daring people to forfeit their lives. When you make people face death, nine times out of ten they choose to live.

_What about the employees?_

Cowards, and not without reason. Their manager had turned them into docile animals, afraid to stand up for themselves, let alone for a manager that had tortured them. As he tries to shout at them to do something, I give him a good knife to the arm, order him to open the vault. Oh it was beautiful, more gold than you could ever imagine having in your life. We didn’t hesitate, we started shoving as much of it as we could into our coats and in bags. Then we let the people inside grab it for themselves.

_They did?_

It took some convincing, but after we shoved some of it into their hands, they realized what was happening. We bound all the elves, made sure they had to watch what their cowardice had brought them. I made sure to drag out the manager, ask the people inside who held mortgages with the bank.

_How many did?_

All of them. I found out later that essentially every customer of the bank had either been swindled into getting a loan, or had one made for them without their even knowing it. I threw him on the floor, made sure to strip off his fancy clothes, went into the back and carried out the loans and deeds. Set them afire and told them, “Let him know how it feels.”

_The reports state that the man suffered multiple broken ribs and needed facial reconstruction surgery._

Like I said, a fat bastard of an elf.

_What happened as the customers did this?_

We made off, our sharpshooters had taken down two more elves from the PSB when they tried to see what was happening. We made off with enough money to buy a warship, but more important was the fact that the people inside spread the word about what happened.

_The PSB must have stepped up patrols though._

Hardly. Our forces hit five more banks before they tried to mount a response. By that time we had our advisor, and she was even better than we were at planning these operations. *Larson grins* But I’ll tell you more about those in time. For now, we had hit the banks, and the people were well aware that the MLA was fighting for them above all else.

_You had a motto during this time, correct?_

“You’ll never beat down Manborg.”

**Knight-Sergeant Elia Phacelia – Interview 17**

_Interview conducted in Ms. Phacelia’s home._

_Subject Age: 27_

_Former Rank: Knight-Sergeant, Brotherhood of the Axe_

_Family: Flora Phacelia (Wife, 26)_

We had to take the same route the weapons did, and that in and of itself took so much time that most of us were a little out of shape by the time we arrived. You can only work out so much aboard ship, but airships were out of the question, too expensive and too much risk of a surprise Sonheim “inspection”.

_What was the name of the group you were assigned to?_

The People’s Front of Cordelia. They’d had a longstanding rivalry Cordelian People’s Front, and they _both_ hated the Cordelian Popular People’s Front. Frankly the place was a mess.

_What was your first order of business?_

Get some kind of order in the place. We realized that if there was going to be any chance or taking back Cordelia, we needed to pacify the fronts and get them to agree to a truce. They could work out who was going to run what later. Two other knights were assigned to those two fronts, and we facilitated a meeting between the leadership of the three. Thankfully the NDI had found that the Popular Front had been superrazzed.

_I’m sorry?_

Superrazzed. Sometimes the BSS would infiltrate these groups, or bribe their leadership to continue the divisions to ensure Sonheim control. They nicknamed it, “Taking the razz”. Well not only were a number of the Popular Front’s senior leadership on the take, we had to clean our own houses as well. The local leeches had their own private operations.

_Was this meeting that cleaning?_

We presented the NDI evidence clear as day. Points to the People’s Front and Cordelian People’s Front, their senior leaders had no idea what was happening. Same for the lower people in the CPPF. It was all their higher ranks taking the money.

_How did the NDI find out they were being compromised?_

They looked at financial records, found out who’d had their debts cleared or didn’t have their taxes increased. Even things as simple as carriage parking fines suddenly going away without being paid, it was a good sign someone was compromised. They dug further by looking who’d had a sudden financial windfall, who had a good job suddenly thrust on them, and any records cleared by the BSS or PBS.

_How badly were they compromised?_

Terribly. The Vice Commander, Operations Leader, and Intelligence Chief of the PFC; the Major, three first lieutenants and the sergeant at arms of the CPF, and again all the senior leadership of the CPPF. We had to make sure the doors were barred to keep them from escaping.

_You’re saying they were taken into custody there?_

We didn’t have the time or methods to hold them.

_Wait, you had this meeting and you didn’t take them captive?_

Disposing of a body is relatively easy.

_Oh._

Be realistic, what were we going to do with them? Put them in a cell and hold them for the rest of their lives? Let them escape and warn Sonheim what was happening?

_But they already knew about your operation, didn’t they?_

They knew arms and advisors were coming. With groups weaker than the MLA we purposefully kept the actions as vague as possible until we could determine our course.

_But their loved ones surely had questions?_

It didn’t matter. Those men and women are gone. You'd be surprised what a hungry dog will eat.

_What happened after this…“meeting”?_

We rebuilt.

**Gen. Silverthorn -Interview 18**

After the clearing out of our troublemakers, our people got to work. Initial operations were set to reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, all focused on finding Sonheim’s weaknesses in their own territories. We’d given the MLA and few other groups the go-ahead to continue their operations, they were already well established and had solid reputations.

_This left Central with working on turning Sir. Estragon into the symbol of Ceannis’ stand against Sonheim._

His initial trepidation was understandable. Knights aren’t press officials, they’re trained to fight and win. Fortunately Sir Estragon’s advantage was that he knew how to follow orders. Our people said he was naturally photogenic, his record unimpeachable, and that even if anyone had an issue with his Iullic ancestry, the general public opinion on those assholes would shut them down quickly.

_And his placement on the embassy detail?_

Planned to work to our advantage. *Gen. Silverthorn produces another folder* The NPA does good investigative work sometimes, especially when it comes to corruption.

*Three images: Series of photos showing the executives of several Ceannic companies accepting what look like gold sovereigns from Ambassador Beringar*

*Two images: Photographs of two Beal intelligence officers speaking with one Capt. Sigurn*

*Two images: Photographs, ones in the morning, one in the evening. A female servant leaving in the morning with a wealthy Ceannic businessman. Second image is of the same servant returning with a look of distress on her face, alone, with clothes torn*

_You were planning on making Sir Estragon look like an operative?_

His whole team. His placement at the embassy made it perfect to say that we had been trying to keep a closer eye on Sonheim’s actions, as well as on any other negative influences on the national stage.

_What did it take to prepare Thorn for his national work?_

Scripts, primarily, all of them built from real reports from the NDI and NID from Sonheimic territories. Speaking out on their slavery and treatment of their lower classes. How they’re purposefully tried to undermine our industries and resources by purposefully putting their own people in danger.

_He went along with this?_

We wanted him as a spokesman, and he did his work ably. He became our go-to for when we needed to have someone discuss the military’s view on the increase in Sonheimic rebel attacks, on the lack of pirate activities, and how the government was putting more programs in place to help escaped slaves and others from Sonheim.

_The transcripts here don’t have slave in them at all though._

NDI work. If we used slaves Sonheim would be able to use that against us, possibly even force Thorn from the embassy. The heads of the Ship and the Dreamers were worried that the Chalice would pull Thorn from his post, but for once the spirits worked for our advantage. Apparently a prophecy had come through that Thorn was the only person preventing the embassy from being destroyed, so they couldn’t afford to lose him at that position.

_Meaning that Sonheim had to live with a subversive figure working the gate of their embassy._

If they removed him, they knew it would be tantamount to admitting they were up to something. Better to have him there and ignore him than risk outing their actions.

_What was happening inside the nation as this was happening?_

Our first shipments had made it through without incident, and the next were ready to move. The pirates were sufficiently occupied, and the entire military and intelligence apparatus was following the plan. The head of the NPA had been briefed, and the investigation into the death at our primary shipping warehouse was delayed.

_The consensus was that things were going well?_

They were going fantastically. Still, we weren’t about to be stupid. We doubled security at key points, made sure our people remembered that just because the start was solid, it didn’t guarantee it would end perfectly. We knew that once Sonheim started to feel the pressure they’d retaliate.

_So what happened next?_

State happened next.

**Mr. Ivory Muscade – Interview 19**

_Interview done in Mr. Muscade’s office in the State Department_

_Subject Age:_ **CLASSIFIED**

_Current Position: Chief of Operations, Sonheim bureau_

_Family:_ **CLASSIFIED**

From the start, I hated the very idea of what we were doing in Sonheim. The United Islands tried the same thing in Beal, and they were burned badly for it. The fact that Silverthorn thought he could accomplish the task was ludicrous, never mind dangerous to our own national interests.

_What were the specific dangers?_

If Silverthorn was worried about our crystal supplies then, he would have no idea the pain our nation would go through if Sonheim cut us off from their mines. Then there was the fear of what the other nations would think of our supplying Sonheim with these weapons and “advisors”. Paid killers is more like it.

_You don’t have a high opinion of the military?_

I have a high opinion of the military when it does what it was designed to do; defend the people and nation. What Silverthorn had these young men and women doing was tantamount to murder, especially since they were assisting known terrorist elements.

_The general consensus is still that these people were only fighting for their national restoration of old borders._

Really? What about the Elfmot Resistance Movement? Do you know that we supported them with weapons and advisors? Do you know what they did before then? *Muscade brings up a series of slides on his desk crystal*

*First image: Aftermath of an explosion outside a Sonheim hospital; bodies and pieces of bodies are strewn about the street. A young woman cradles a bundle of blankets in her arms as she screams*

*Second image: Bodies laying outside a bus stop, all face up with slashes across their throats. “SONHEIM SLAVES” is written on a nearby wall; none of the dead have pointed ears*

*Third image: Two Sonheim PSB officers, stripped naked, are strung up on a light pole; their badges have been impaled through their skin; their bodies are covered in massive bruises, and their faces are mangled to be impossible to recognize*

*Fourth image: Several Sonheim children being evacuated from a school; the body of a teacher is atop the body of a small child, both are lying in a pool of blood*

These were the kinds of people we were trying to prop up. They can play up the MLA and other groups all they want. This is what they are capable of without anyone helping them.

_You said in one report that Sonheim already had good intelligence it was our government supporting them. What did you base this on?_

State has its own channels independent of the NDI and NID. Sonheim isn’t stupid either, the BSS isn’t just focused on torturing Sonheim’s citizens, they know how to conduct counter-intelligence operations.

_So you admit that Sonheim was guilty of human rights violations?_

Oh _everyone_ knows that. The key was that Sonheim had what we needed, and we had what they needed. If they wanted to treat their people as they saw fit, so be it, we were still able to carry on as the people needed us to. Having Silverthorn try this insane plan just because we had to put a few more places on the price of our spelltech was dangerous.

_What would the diplomatic approach have been?_

Trade negotiations and work to undermine Lord Imri and Lady Stanczia’s holdings in Ceannis. Make it clear that if they wanted to do business in our nation, they would have to abide by our rules, or else.

_But by this point the initial stages of the plan were already in motion._

The problem with the military is that they fall very easily into groupthink. Once they get each other set on an idea, pray that you’re not standing in the middle of that carriage. Silverthorn had basically bull-rushed through his program, and didn’t even bother going through the senate to even see if maybe we couldn’t find a more effective means of solving this issue.

_The defense that was given was that the very nature of the operation required it to be kept secret._

That should tell anyone with any lingering doubts exactly why this operation was doomed from the start.

_Did State have any parallel operations at the same time?_

Of course not. Our job is to build bridges, not burn them.

**Mr. Blackleaf – Interview 19**

With the teams in place, we had to put on Sonheimic assets to work. Thanks to our work with the Sonheimic admiralty, we had managed to move informers and moles into the major organs of Sonheim’s state apparatus and major corporate entities.

_Did you attempt this with the vampires?_

God no. The vampires are completely in control of their households, if one of their number was caught they’d eliminate several of their lead servants in pursuit of keeping them information to themselves. No, it was strictly Sonheim government and industry.

_Was it hard to infiltrate these bodies?_

In many ways it was worse than the Navy. The expected problem would be making sure that we wouldn’t be found in the process. Instead we had to keep the higher-ranking members from essentially defecting _en masse_.

_What?_

Exactly. It turns out that the bureaucratic infighting could get so severe that several high-ranking department leaders leapt at the chance to sell each other out.

_Surely it can’t have been that bad._

I had to review several requests by one agent trying to move into the Sonheimic equivalent to State that three chamber heads wanted to become willing agents.

_Why was it so bad?_

The only places we lacked heavy defections were the BSS and Army. Sonheim privatizes so many of their vital services to the vampires that it was nearly impossible for those departments to do anything useful.

_It seems that the majority of Sonheim’s problems are traced back to the vampires._

The majority of its problems come from poor leadership and terrible utilization of resources. The only thing they were good at was putting their own population underfoot and trying to infiltrate nations they targeted for infiltration and annexation.

_Would you say there was a fear that many of these would-be agents were trying to infiltrate the program as double-agents?_

We always presume that as a possibility. We didn’t take them on immediately, we had to start them with small operations that would lead to minimal exposure. Even if they weren’t trying to be double agents, we had to weed out the ones who were too stupid to be useful. Field craft isn’t something you can just bluff your way through.

We tasked them with smuggling out information we had already verified as genuine, but they had no idea had been taken. Sonheim didn’t have anything like our Canary Cage program, the test was to see who wasn’t worth our time.

_How many failed?_

At least twenty. All of them lost their security clearances, but we weren’t exposed. They were merely reprimanded for poor handling of official state documents and failure to follow security protocols. Thankfully they were smart enough to not mention that they were involved in an intelligence operation. The BSS would’ve had a field day with them.

_The rest passed?_

Hardly. Several gathered the wrong information, useless or out of date. Others failed to follow through, cold feet at the prospect. The higher-level people couldn’t risk their standing in Sonheim society, though we knew that the generalized psychological profile indicated that such individuals wouldn’t dare risk their place by confessing what they’d done. The ones who managed to follow our instructions and gain the proper documents we accepted. We knew double agents were a risk, but they were the best hope we had.

_What did they do for the operation?_

Information. Informers from the treasury gave information on banks and caravans from the mints to the cities. Agriculture led us to several farms used to supply regional Sonheimic garrisons with food, along with the state of Sonheim’s cavalry. Their International Relations, they made it obvious when the BSS was looking too closely at us as the primary suspects. PSB was especially useful, they told us where the numbers were.

_The BSS was infiltrated?_

We didn’t dare go into them, or the Army for that matter. The BSS would’ve turned our agents if found, and it would be too late for us to do anything before we even knew. As for the Army, their counter-intelligence would’ve plugged the leaks before we could warn our agents, meaning that anyone dead by their hands would serve as examples to the rest that working with us was suicide.

_Why would they choose to work with your agency though?_

Variety of reasons. Some were just greedy, wanted our gold to cushion their own lives. Others wanted to sabotage their superiors, move up on the chain and seize the better offices. A few actually did it out of patriotism, they believed that their faction of government could run Sonheim better than the current party in power.

_They had to have know what they were aiding in though._

That’s the great thing about working in an office so far away from the actual fighting. You don’t have to see the bodies you help make.

**Mr. Macaster – Interview 20**

We checked the first broadcast Estragon made to the nation during the briefings on the rebel movements in Sonheim’s territories, it all checked out as far as we could find. Only the problem was that we pretty quickly realized how odd it was to have a man speaking about how Sonheim was treating their subjects as a guard at the embassy. Still, he was a hero and had a clean record. None of us could find anything worth dredging up.

_What did this have to do with the warehouse?_

At first, nothing. That line of inquiry had stalled, and stalled hard. Any trace of wrongdoing couldn’t be found, only suspicions that it was a front for some organization yet unknown.

_Where did that leave your investigation?_

Pretty much dead in the water. We couldn’t think of a way to break through the layers to get to the center of the problem. We had to reverse course, specifically to the destruction of the Apro Bay Maraduers. Those guys were real pieces of work, every sailor in Peacockton was talking about their being destroyed. Only none of them knew who did it. It wasn’t rival pirates, and it sure wasn’t Getsun, it wasn’t publicized.

_Who did that leave?_

I spoke with our defense correspondents, the only force they could think of that could strike that hard and fast from the sea were either the Axe or the Ship. Only problem was that deploying either of those forces on foreign soil was basically tantamount to declaring war on Getsun. The thinking at the time was there was no way our government could possibly be that stupid.

_So no investigation was launched?_

We didn’t have the resources in our Getsun bureau. What we did have was word that something big was coming down the pipe from Sonheim, and every paper in the nation wanted to be the first with the story. So I was sent off to a press conference for a new organization, “Coalition Against Sonheim Killings”.

_What did you know about them at the time?_

Not much. All I knew about Sonheim’s annexed territories was that they had rebel movements, and that Sonheim doesn’t like rebels. If they’d managed to put something like this together, something had changed. I’d read articles about the bank robberies in Manborg, and I can’t lie, personally I was hoping they’d really hurt them.

_Your articles later on didn’t seem to have such a bias._

I’m a professional.

_So how did this first press meeting with the group go?_

Well, all things considered. It was made up of representatives of several political groups, none of them associated with any of the militant rebels against Sonheim but calling on the world to finally stand up against the Sonheim government’s efforts to continue expansion south. A lot of them were actually trying to lobby for independent recognition of rights by Sonheim. We all knew they were basically front groups, but they were doing their jobs well that day.

_What was that job?_

Respectability. The rebels could hit banks and kill Sonheim’s cops as often as they wanted, but as long as these guys were around they could smooth things over and keep bringing up Sonheim’s actions. Hell, I have the pictures they showed us at the meeting. *Macaster types on his desk crystal*

*Image 1: A group of dockworkers marching with picket signs; “FAIR WORK=FAIR PAY”; “REAL BLOODSUCKERS ARE MANAGERS”; “OUR FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER”*

*Image 2: Several women and their children marching down a main boulevard, the women are shouting and the children as dressed in their best clothes*

*Image 3: A crowd of young men and women protesting outside a Sonheim government building, facing down two lines of armored PSB officers*

They used these as prime examples of what the people under Sonheim’s rule have been going through, and it was the effect they wanted. Soon all our of letters to the editor were over the cruel treatment of Sonheim’s citizens, about how we should be supporting these groups to ensure that they were able to fight back for their rights.

_What were your personal thoughts?_

Personally I thought the whole thing was a great scam for the rebels. Ceannis still has a lingering distrust of Sonheim today, so playing into that fear was the perfect tool. Donations started rolling in like wild, everyone was suddenly supporting the underdogs. I heard even the cast of _Leachtric_ got in on it, they gave all the profits from one week of the show to several of the larger groups.

_Did the media look into these groups?_

We tried. They were all linked to their homelands, all made up of representatives of pro-independence groups, but the paper trails were thin.

_Was the idea that there was a connection between these groups and the warehouse made yet?_

Not yet. It crossed my mind, but what kept me from making the leap was that there was no way those guys had the money to do everything they were now.

_So your suspicions were piqued?_

Certainly were.

**Adm. Kelp – Interview 21**

With the pirates kept in check our supply chain was secured. First Fleet’s intelligence kept us abreast of any developments, but overall the shipments were unimpeded.

_Would you say that expectations were being met?_

Beyond our wildest expectations. The initial stages of the plan were going perfectly, and we had the presence of mind to remind ourselves that it could still come collapsing down around us. We supplemented our forces in Sonheim with elements of the Navy’s Special Elite Amphibious Legion and the Army’s Blue Boonies. With those elements organized alongside the Axe and the NDI’s covert forces we had near-total contact with the resistance movements inside Sonheim’s territories.

_Pres. Romarin still approved of the operation?_

Pres. Romarin was getting enthused. The progress of the operation convinced her that we were on the verge of a major coup in terms of covert operations and strategic operations focus. In just a few months we had done what Prophecy couldn’t; plan, and execute a successful infiltration, subversion, and assault on known enemies of the Ceannic people.

_What about Ceannis’ internal security situation?_

The military doesn’t get involved in internal matters too much. We learned our lesson that internal security and law enforcement is for civil authorities long ago.

_Back to Pres. Romarin then, what do you feel was the biggest reason she supported the plan?_

Strike at Sonheim. Romarin knew that hitting Sonheim by taking away their conquests would strike at the very national soul of Sonheim. Anyone not of their original national heritage was a barbarian, like how they still see us. Romarin knew that weakening Sonheim would only strengthen our international position.

_I’m still not sure why the military commanders have such a vitriolic reaction when speaking about Pres. Romarin. Can you illuminate this?_

Romarin made her bones in the Senate and in State without serving in any kind of military or law enforcement position. A career politician, winning elections by glad-handing and being more devious than the other guy or girl running against her. Just because she was a prosecutor doesn’t mean we liked her.

_Why did it matter to the military that she hadn’t served?_

When you’re in the military, you can see both sides of the coin when you leave. You can see life as a soldier or sailor or knight, and you can see it as a civilian. You can look at it all, take the information you get as a sign of what needs to be done on all fronts, and run with it from there. Romarin didn’t have that perspective. Who gives a damn about what the National Pie Council thinks is the best flavor? Why should we spend so much on Kopolvision when we have killers to our east and slavers to the north, pirates nipping at our trade? Do you know how much her administration cut from the Navy’s R&D budget before this operation? Forty-seven percent, as we were closing in on breakthroughs for underwater and sea-rescue operations that would have literally allowed us to rule the waves. You can fund national improvement projects and social welfare programs, that’s fine. When you waste time dealing with the National fucking Pie Council? You’re an ass.

_Understood sir._

Now, thankfully she started to pull her head out of her rear with this one. Her work on the monster hunters was an impressive start, but this was winning her respect with the general staff. She was making an impression, and it was sticking.

_What about international relations?_

Well the western nations saw it as a sign that Ceannis was willing to finally take a new stand against Sonheim, one that would hopefully keep war from breaking out. The UI was fine with the new influx of trade, and Beal was content that our work against the eastern tribes wasn’t being undercut. It was a beautiful beginning.

**Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood – Interview 22**

As this was all happening our forces on the steppes were still operating against the tribes, and at the time things had settled into a kind of equilibrium. We’d fortified several major towns and trading posts, and we’d finally started aid operations that allowed the friendly tribes to keep their identities while still benefiting from becoming citizens of Ceannis.

_Was it difficult to convince them to become citizens?_

Of course it was. Leave people alone for that many decades, they think anyone coming their way with spelltech and modern medicine is trying to turn them docile.

_Tribal representatives maintain that previous history between Ceannis and the tribes is a cause for thinking so._

That’s a bunch of jackasses dredging up old history. Yes, Ceannis did act like they were targets on a range at the best of time, but we learned from what happened during the conflicts against the Iullic bands that the tribes were easier to deal with by working to understand them instead of just constantly trying to wipe them out. Made our lives easier because it made the real problems easier to find and eliminate.

_How do you respond to continuing claims that the Brotherhood, and the other units stationed on the steppes, have acted illegally in their actions towards the tribes?_

You know, no one asks about how the tribes acted illegally towards our people in the region.

_Sir, please-_

No, no, I’m talking about this. We moved onto the steppes, no idea about old tribal divides or boundaries. Did the tribes think, “These people need to learn what happens around here”? No, seven massacres of our settlers later and we have to send in two cavalry divisions just to pacify the Layon Plains. Nevermind the force it took to finally break the siege of Ft. Mayert when the Partul launched their attack. You saw what they did to the captives when it was clear they were going to lose. Worse, what they did to the captives that survived in spite of their actions. It’s hate without a reason. Ever since the Mayert Massacre, any action taken against those hostile tribes is fully justified in my opinion.

_Is this opinion in place for Sonheim as well?_

It’s in place for Sonheim’s vampires. Have you ever seen a victim of a vampire attack?

_Yes sir-_

No you haven’t. You’ve only seen what happens when they feed. Here’s the aftermath of an attack. The victim is covered in their own blood, to a vampire it means they aren’t worth feeding on, it’s an insult to the victim. Major vessels are ripped open, depending on the vampire’s mood it can either be very painful, or very painful and _personal._ You don’t forget the first time you find a corpse that has it’s crotch ripped open and the vampire _chewing_ on the victim’s manhood to mock them as they die.

_Sir-_

No, no, you want the full story? About all of it? The military had been building up to shit like this for decades. Tribes on the border, Sonheim’s actions, the pirates, the _leeches_ , the shackles were finally off. No more half-measures for us, no more waiting for permission from the president or authorization from the Senate. We were finally charging in and doing what needed to be done. The men and women posted on the steppes did their jobs perfectly.

We knew that Sonheim would get suspicious if our military simply stopped major operations. So we mounted increased actions on the steppes. Raids on the hostile tribes, increased presence for the ones that were close to being on our side. We deputized dozens of bands warriors, made them willing to finally end the old rivalries that had built up over time.

_You used the tribes against each other?_

Armed with stockpiles of old weapons.

_It was a blind against Sonheim._

How could we be supplying the rebels in Sonheim’s borders when we were busy supplying the tribes. The snow queens could run themselves ragged trying to piece it all together, and we just had to make sure they were looking in all directions at once. *Redwood laughs* Those dumb bastards, they had no _idea_ what we were doing at the start.

_Did you think at the time this would turn around on Ceannis?_

Personally, I thought we were golden. No one was getting greedy, no one was trying to overstretch our current reach, and as far as I was concerned humiliating State and Prophecy was just another hit.

_And Sir Estragon?_

Sir Estragon was playing his part. Playing spokesman for us was getting the people into a willing mood, to accept that yes, Sonheim was the definite bad guy in the situation. All he needed was the occasional reminder that as long as he did his part, he could see every slave in Sonheim’s control freed.

_You saw nothing wrong with holding that situation against him?_

It was our whole nation at stake. You might as well ask if I felt anything when I killed my first pirate.

_Did you?_

Of course I did. I felt like I’d done what needed to be done.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 23**

As the Ceannic government steered the people to supporting our cause, there was one last piece of work to take care of.

_The United Northern Alliance._

Traitors, all of them. They were bastards who decided to sell out their people to Sonheim. *Larson spits* Bastards thought that if they could play good and loyal slaves to the elves, they would be free to live without being turned into food for the beasts. Propped up by Sonheim because they couldn’t keep us under their thumb, they thought we’d go easier on their countrymen. Those UNA traitors were well paid for their betrayal.

_You thought you could destroy them in your area?_

We could cripple them, take out their legs so they couldn’t stand again. Fortunately a good number had a weakness.

_This was the Intimidation._

They knew that Sonheim wouldn’t protect their spouses or children. It was clear that if we wanted to undercut them, we had to press them at their weakest.

_Did you ever actually harm those family members?_

Of course not. They were spouses and children, unless they were involved in UNA operations we let them be. We marked their children on their routes to school, marked their paths with our signs, let their parents know we were watching. We stopped in at their spouses’ workplaces or at their homes, let them know as plainly as possible their loved ones were marked for death unless they stepped down from the UNA.

_The PSB didn’t feel this was important?_

We’d angered the PSB, they didn’t care about some local fools complaining about being intimidated when we’d just humiliated them. They were looking for us for killing theirs, not for scaring house-spouses and their pet traitors.

_Did the UNA try to fight back then?_

Of course. They stepped up their foot patrols, trying to find our hideouts or homes. Problem for them was the MLA had spent years perfecting their counter-intelligence, rooting out our own traitors and informants. They just stormed around the area, wearing what they had thought passed for a uniform, a worn-out coat and a broad hat with a bandana on their face. They even had their little shields and sticks to beat down anyone that got in their way.

_This was the Fral-Tohnm Ambush?_

Not a planned one. When we heard about their sending a column down one of the neighborhoods we’d claimed, we couldn’t sit and wait. We alerted our advisor from your government, she gave us a go-ahead to make a response. Our battalion was one of the most active, and the UNA was determined to make a show of it.

_Our media only had a small mention of the ambush._

Your papers didn’t care to learn about it after the “fun” of reporting it had ended. The UNA came marching down the street, grabbing anyone they could to make an example of them. It was as bad as the raids in the Bloody Summer. PSB thugs and their UNA pets breaking down doors, making off with fathers and mothers as their children screamed for mercy. I remember it, back when I was still staring out in the MLA. One morning we all heard the carriages rolling down the streets, the marching boots of the PSB and the UNA coming down the avenues. Before anyone knew what was happening they broke down the doors, running inside as people screamed and windows started breaking. They carried out the captives covered in blood, some were unconscious. The UNA were _laughing_ as they did it, I saw them kick a mother down her own front steps as her children were held back by a PSB man. I watched as they beat and kicked her, made her into a bag they could work their anger out on. She was barely able to even speak as they carried her away, the pavement behind her was covered in blood and teeth before they threw her in the back of the wagon.

_Why though?_

Terror, you idiot. They wanted to keep the people scared, remind them they had something to lose by standing up. Mothers were thrown off their children as they were carried away, some were even taken away in different wagons for trying to save their sons and daughters. All the while Ceannis did nothing. Because you were at “peace”.

_So you were prepared this time?_

Hardly. We had only just hit the banks, we expected increased foot patrols and maybe heavier arms, not a second invasion. We had to make things up as we went for the ambush. That was the scariest part about it. We had no time to really prepare or plan, we only had some arrows and our own blades.

_What happened?_

We took up positions on the rooftops, watched as they marched down the road. They marched proudly, singing Sonheimic songs of how glorious it was to be a civilized man. We couldn’t wait. Of course, the key to an ambush is striking at the right time. Too early or too late, and you can’t take out the majority of their force. Until the company was gathered, we were on our own.

_Did you start the ambush?_

That I could say I did. It was one of our younger men, he got a little too itchy on the trigger. We were lucky though, he struck one of the traitors through the neck, caught them off guard long enough for the rest of us to strike. Before they could get their shields up we were pouring bolts down on them.

_Did it bother you that Ceannis was giving you second-line weapons?_

We were ecstatic that we were remembered by the world again. Some of ours were expert craftsmen, they made small tweaks to the weapons to make sure we had a chance to fight.

_How long did the ambush last?_

Depends. The actual ambush was only a few seconds, two minutes maybe before the UNA ran. Of course, by that time the other squads were out and hunting. By the time the PSB came onto the street the neighborhoods were littered with UNA bodies. They never left their own territories after that.

_What happened after?_

The PSB had to step up their own patrols, they started to try and arm themselves with heavier weapons. Banks couldn’t hire the guards to protect their buildings, so they started putting more slaves in place instead.

_What happened to anyone from Manborg who worked for the banks?_

Traitor’s a traitor.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 24**

I was assigned to the group “Dark Autumn”. They were considered one of the more ruthless groups in the movements, but they had also been fighting for longer than even Gen. Silverthorn had been around.

_What were your first impressions of them?_

They were dangerous, and they knew it. They’d done even more for their own movement alone than the MLA. They’d purged anyone who was turned by the snow queens, they’d brought any Sonheim-affiliated groups to heel, and they even controlled neighborhoods where the PSB was afraid to go without force. They sent me there to do one of the hardest jobs; reigning them in.

_Why was that harder?_

Dark Autumn had become inured to caring about what the world thought of them. They’d been so long cut off from anyone that wasn’t Sonheim that if they carried on as they usually did, we’d never get the public on their side. Worse, it would hurt other rebel groups through Sonheim’s territories.

_So what was your plan for it then?_

Well first I had to connect with them. Prove that my revolutionary bonafides were genuine given how I looked. *Saguaro taps his ears* I had to kill a PSB officer they’d captured.

_Did you?_

Let’s just say the PSB needed a new post filled.

_What happened after that?_

I explained that we were willing to help them gain independence, and they weren’t stupid. They knew that if they won, we got reliable spelltech out of the deal. I explained to them that in order to keep our support, they needed to clean up their act. They’d become infamous for destroying civil offices and even civilian facilities. Colleges, hospitals, buildings built by Sonheim for Sonheim citizens, but still used by civilians more than the military.

_Why did they?_

They knew that Sonheim didn’t care if they lost soldiers or police, they could be replaced easily. No, they knew that killing civilians made Sonheim angry, that they hated losing their money.

_Money?_

Sonheim doesn’t see the lower-classes as human. They see money, potential earnings, a body. Even to us in the Brotherhood, where you’re expected to be replaced if you die? You want to live, and your commanders do everything they can to make sure you live.

_How did Dark Autumn respond?_

The leadership understood perfectly, it was the members that we had to convince. They’d lost family, loved ones, their brothers and sisters in arms to Sonheim. They’d had vampires attack their hideouts. They didn’t see that fighting with less anger would be effective. Of course, the promise of more effective weapons in exchange for it did win a lot of them over.

_How was it that Sonheim was able to so effectively cut down on the resistance movements gaining arms?_

It was twisted genius in a way. They made it so that anyone could own a crossbow or blade, but unless you had my ears or skin? Better luck next life. Dark Autumn had to make do with sharp sticks and clubs, rocks if they were lucky. Meanwhile the Sonheim assholes were walking around with blades and crossbows, and good luck charging them with murder. All those assholes had to do was say that they were threatened, and the Sonheim courts let them off. It was no secret that they would do the bare minimum to engineer a conflict in order to kill. Some even bragged about killing the locals, said it was a game.

_Did you make progress in this respect then?_

Yeah, the bigger problem was making them into fighters. Dark Autumn was real haphazard, they were focused on surviving as a movement. I had to start a PT regimen, get them trained in their weapons, organize a chain of command. They’d been fighting against a superior enemy for decades, and the smart ones were usually found and killed by the time they rose to any prominence by the PSB or BSS. Part of the reason they were so brutal was because they felt a need for revenge for their comrades.

_Then it was hard to train them up?_

So very. I was the person that had been taking away their lives, good luck getting over that. I had to earn their trust, got into a few fistfights as I went, their leadership had to kick some people to the curb. Make sure they couldn’t blab.

_You still saw nothing wrong with this?_

They were fighting for their own freedoms. I’d say I didn’t have much room to judge.

_How long would you say it took to guide them to where you wanted them to be?_

A solid month just to get them to good physical standards, and another to have them reach the concept that sometimes _not_ killing civilians is a good idea. Still, the message got through, and when the second shipments came in it was the time.

_Time for what?_

Revolution.


	4. Chapter 4

**Section 4 – Revolutionary Summer**

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 25**

The action pieces only get it half right when it comes to being a terrorist. You need to be constantly planning, constantly on the lookout for the enemy. You’re more than a criminal in their eyes, you’re someone willing to kill, a fanatic. You have to plan every step of your operations, every place you move and even blink.

_This affected you?_

Of course. The key was training. The Axe had taught me to handle stress, to always do something to occupy my mind so that I wouldn’t mentally collapse from the sheer weight of it all. I spent days going over plans, checking weapons, I even had to check the men when they started making uniforms.

_Uniforms?_

The Sonheim paramilitary forces had worn makeshift uniforms for years, they used them to distinguish themselves to avoid being mistaken for the rebels. Word had come down from the command that we needed to make our own so we could present a unified front, and not kill each other in the crossfire of our own operations.

_So it was strictly practical?_

Morale is practical too. Giving them a uniform gave them a sense of brotherhood, an _espirit de corps_ for their cause. I had them design it, gave them a time frame and had them come to their leadership with their ideas. They all came back with some good ones after a while. *Saguaro brings up several images on his personal crystal*

*Image 1: A man wearing green fatigues, a _keffiyeh_ , and holding a Mk. 12; _Dark Autumn_ *

*Image 2: A woman wearing a balaclava, green fatigues, and jeans, holding a Mk. 16; _Manborg Liberation Army_ *

*Image 3: Three men holding a Mk. 1 with scarves around their faces; first has a beret and wears a khaki uniform, second has a boonie and wears a khaki uniform; third wears a leather jacket and pants; _People’s Front of Cordelia, Cordelian People’s Front, Cordelian Popular People’s Front_ *

*Image 4: A woman in a leather jacket and skirt and black beret holding two Mk. 1 shells wearing tinted glasses and a handkerchief on her face; _Elfmont Resistance Movement_ *

_They almost look professional._

That was the point. Suddenly people had an image in their own lands, something they could rally around. With the right direction, the people would learn to _hate_ Sonheim. The bank campaigns had already made it clear that the resistances weren’t playing around anymore, and the PSB was starting to crack down.

_Is this where the differences between the resistances showed themselves?_

No, in fact when it came to “differences” the only ones when we were around had the most to do with their uniforms. As long as we were there, they had an organized method of operation. We knew the PSB would start responding once their lackeys were beaten back. They had to regain control, and fast. They started fortifying their stations, organizing their patrols around larger numbers with crossbows and armor. Their problem was that they didn’t have enough.

_Sonheim’s PSB stated that their armor was in short supply._

It was, but not for the reasons they said. They claimed it was because they had been under no impression that there would be such a sudden increase in attacks. The reality was that they’d only been keeping their body armor for officers above the rank of sergeant. Patrol officers they could afford to lose. Their best armor was reserved for their Rapid Reaction Teams.

_Would you say they compared to our own Special Action Groups for our police?_

Only if you graded on a curve. The PSB didn’t send in the RRT to save lives and diffuse situations, they sent them in when their patrolmen couldn’t do enough damage to a gang or group of protestors. Before, the RRT had made the rebels scatter, go to ground. Now, with us on the job, we had a chance to make some damage.

Where I was stationed, we planned our operations carefully. We let the PSB slip into a routine, made them think that we’d needed to build up steam after our own bank campaign and taking out the local UNA.

_Could I ask you about that for a moment?_

Why?

_When I interviewed a member of the MLA, he said that the Fral-Tohnm Ambush broke the UNA in his area. What did it for Dark Autumn?_

It was a long run, that’s for sure. The MLA got lucky, their UNA branch was a bunch of assholes. They weren’t so stupid for us. We needed to scout out the targets, intimidation wasn’t going to be enough. We needed to eliminate them before we could carry out our actions in time with the rest of the rebel groups.

_How did you carry this out?_

Once we’d figured out who was UNA, we scouted them for a few days, tried to establish patterns. We realized they had meetings every week, ever since the fighting picked up, in a hall near the city center. If we could take out that hall, and they were all inside, we’d destroy the UNA and gain some breathing room.

_The Night of Burning Halls._

We weren’t the only ones with the idea I suppose. It was probably easier if a UNA member moved cities that they could meet up and not worry about their schedule. Well we waited, let them all fill in. Bastards didn’t have any idea what was coming at them. Once they were inside, we went into action. Killed the sentries about the hall, cut their throats to make sure they couldn’t get a warning out. Then we started barring the doors of the hall, Sonheim doesn’t care about fire safety when you can build a structure cheaper so we blocked off the single doors and poured accelerant about the place. All under the windows were doused. All it took after we were done was a spark.

I swear, it was one of the most efficient operations I’d ever taken part in. By the time they realized something was wrong the flames had already started to eat at the building. You could see the doors rocking from the bastards trying to escape, but we’d sealed them in tight, like rats in a trap. Anyone who tried to risk the windows had a bolt drilled through their skull. By the time the local fire company arrived, we were already gone.

_The PSB released a statement claiming that the gathering was a celebration of an engagement by two of the members._

So?

_I see. Then after this was the point where you went after the PSB?_

Sonheim’s got a lot of leftover sexism, and we had more than a few women in the ranks. It was actually pathetically easy to put our plan into action. We targeted several of their police stations and barracks facilities. Even if we couldn’t destroy the structure, we’d strike at their morale and force them to restrict their patrols for fear of losing their people.

_What was the plan?_

We set up several squads to strike an individual barracks on the same day, early morning during the shift change. Maximum number of PSB present. Those assholes will do anything for a little attention, and our fighters were great actors. They’d been working over sergeants and inspectors in the PSB as we planned, playing coy and asking to see where they worked. It was amazing to watch. One of our people, she had seven kills to her name, I saw her cut a BSS traitor’s throat out and not even blink when the blood hit her face. Seeing her in a bar, playing a sweet innocent kitten? I could barely believe that it was the same person.

_The women didn’t have a problem with it?_

The rebels knew that doing dirty deeds was the only way to free their homelands and loved ones. It took real guts to do what they were doing, and they had respect.

On the day of the action my focus was on the 15th Branch Precinct. They housed a lot of RRT officers, and a lot of high-level officers in the PSB liked to check in on their pride and joy toys. Well the shift change starts, and our operatives get inside the building as their dates brag about their luck.

_What did they use as explosives?_

Fertilizer. Mix it up right with the proper unregulated chemicals, and you get a decent blast in the proper proportions. Mix in some nails and screws, and you’ve got a nail bomb. For actual damage, we had other rebels planting Mk. 1 shells at key locations. It was relatively simple too. Time the blasts with crystals, start from the interior and then detonate the exterior devices. It was a trick Dark Autumn had been using for a while, but I added a twist. Instead of detonating all the devices at once, I had them wait.

_Why?_

Our woman was out long before the first bomb went off, and when it did we saw half the station stumbling out. Bloody, some unconscious, all of them trying to figure out what just happened. That’s when we timed the next explosives to go off every few seconds. *Saguaro laughs* For some of those guys it was like watching pinballs bounce around, thrown from one blast into another.

_And the other stations?_

By the time the call had come in to the others, our people had already planted their own charges. Once the other stations started to respond, we had the other charges detonate. We’d been tracking their response times since I arrived and during the bank campaign; by the end of the day the bastards were scattered across the city scrambling to pick up the pieces.

_And the reports of PSB officers shoot away from the precincts?_

We had roving squads on the move to make sure that they hit any stragglers. At the end of the day the PSB had to call in assistance from other cities and hold what few stations were still standing.

_Reports claimed that the crime rate shot up for some weeks until the PSB was able to re-assemble._

Well look at what the MLA did.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 26**

When we started striking at the PSB, we had mothers and wives coming to us saying that their neighborhoods were being overrun by criminals and looters. Honestly, we were so focused on destroying the PSB’s strength that we forgot they did have police duties as well as oppressing our people.

_And this is what led the rebel groups to begin vigilante patrols?_

It was only vigilante action because the PSB was worthless. Sonheim accused us of being vigilantes because we broke up the rackets they let flourish.

_Several accusations were made that the vigilante patrols were used to enforce the rules of the MLA over innocent people, that multiple cases of MLA members attacking innocent and falsely accused suspects have been documented._

We didn’t just pick up a club and go looking for thieves and pimps. In a revolution they’re the ones helping you. No, we went after the worst of them. Drug pushers, rapists, the scum that everyone hates. Thieves we just roughed up, made sure they understood that they weren’t welcomed in our neighborhoods anymore.

_And men you considered worse than thieves?_

A warning and a beating. If they persisted, we took a drill to their kneecaps. You never heal right after that kind of injury, it marks you for life. Any time you’re in Manborg and you see someone walking with a strange limp? They’re not someone you should associate with.

_If they ignored those warnings?_

What do you think we did?

_You mentioned that the PSB was angry more at losing their “rackets”?_

The PSB were thugs. If you didn’t have the protection money to pay them off, they treated you as a criminal. If you had the money, or the standing in their society? They were more than happy to accommodate any tastes you wanted.

_Tastes?_

Young women taken against their will. Children, innocent children whose parents had to live with the fact that a man that claims they upheld the law let monsters take their babies and do as they would with them. No, we weren’t the PSB. We were better than them.

_How did these teams operate?_

If you were robbed, assaulted, you came to us. We put the team out, we talked to the criminals and the homeless, made sure that we had good sources before going after a suspect. It didn’t take long to find them, they couldn’t flee without risking being caught by the PSB on the highways and in the farmlands.

_What happened when they were captured?_

We made sure they were the ones, they could provide alibis and witnesses on their behalf, but if it was obvious they were lying we’d punish them. Do you know we had a lower crime rate during our work than the PSB did in the years before?

_How do you respond to claims that the MLA was aiding in pursuing personal grievances during their actions as trying to keep the peace?_

Unfounded. We made sure that the people we were called by had no outstanding grudges, no trace of being in the middle of personal problems. More than once we had jealous spouses trying to get another hurt because of an affair, but that wasn’t our concern. We were concerned with one goal, freeing our homeland.

_Did you ever encounter any further problems with the PSB after the attacks on their manpower?_

Sometimes you’d have a brave chief constable, claiming he’d finally put a stop to the “lawlessness” on the streets, but we took care of those ones quickly. Even with the RRTs reformed, their patrols through the cities were useless. They could only hit us when we wanted a fight.

 _Tell me about the fighting between your squads and the RRTs_.

Well our contact said we had to be the ones to start the fighting, make sure it was all on our terms. The PSB are all thugs, but the RRTs were the smart ones. They never left their stations in small groups, they always had their armor on, and they rode in armored carriages with plated unicorns. They started really fortifying their stations too, they were ready for another bombing.

_So you struck at their manpower._

It didn’t matter that they patrolled in armored groups, they had to leave the station at some point. Some of them lived in their own apartments, others hid in their barracks after their shifts. They weren’t hard to pin down. We had to save them for later though, change our tactics to face them.

_Many Sonheim and independent reports state that crime in primarily Sonheimic neighborhoods increased after the PSB restricted their patrol routes._

Your point?

**Knight-Sgt. Phacelia – Interview 27**

The PFC was focused on a primarily farming-based region, we had a wide area to patrol and thankfully most of the members were experienced with crossbows from their own years of hunting. They knew the land well too, and that factored into our plans against the PSB.

_What were the key differences between your operations versus more urbanized groups like the MLA?_

The urban groups typically had more numbers to work with, a smaller area to operate in, better supplies to work with. In the farmlands and hills, my people had better experience with the area, better initial training, and certainly better work with their brothers and sisters in the rebellions. Unlike the MLA, these were families, extended families, all of them secure in the fact that they wouldn’t be sold out by their own loved ones.

We were more able to operate openly as well than in the cities. Instead of fearing being spotted on operations, out in the country we were able to patrol relatively freely, even show that we had the upper hand. Instead of setting up checkpoints to coerce the people or force them to pay, we used them to stop the flow of drugs and contraband into the local communities. We stopped the poachers that made the farmers lives hell because they could afford to pay the PSB. We used abandoned farmhouses and steads as training bases, practiced patrolling and training new members.

_Did the PSB have difficulty patrolling such a wide area?_

Of course. They only had stations in the towns and larger villages, and they were perpetually undermanned. We controlled the roads, not them.

_And the local population?_

Farmers typically have more important things to be worried about, but with the PSB forced into hiding by our actions, they weren’t being taxed for just taking their harvest to market. They supported us.

_The PSB noted that there was a clear difference in treatment between local farmers and anyone who was Sonheimic._

What do they claim?

_They state that where other travelers were let through peacefully any traveler of Sonheimic descent was treated with outright hostility._

Of course they were. Those farmers had been beaten down by Sonheim as absentee landlords and land speculators were given free reign. All I could do was remind them that all they needed to do to the civilians and slaves was just take their money, they could work over the rich and powerful as much as they wanted.

_I notice that the advisors sent to the rebels had little problem with these actions, why is that?_

Romarin’s administration had tried to convince us that we needed to learn to work alongside Sonheim in order to, “break down the barriers that we’d built up.” I’ll give her points, it wasn’t a bad idea, and we did learn a lot of useful intelligence for the operation. The problem was Sonheim’s operational culture.

_I’m sorry?_

Every organization has their own way of doing things, even if they’re the same thing. In the Brotherhood, if you screw up then your NCOs and officers will call you a fucking idiot and get to work fixing the problem before moving on. It isn’t a personal insult, it’s telling said person, “Don’t fuck up like this again, learn from it.”

_So what was Sonheim’s operational culture like?_

Assholes. We were doing mountain warfare training, and all through it the Sonheimic officers were basically a bunch of assholes. Kept pointing out how Ceannis had no truly skilled mountain warriors, how we couldn’t speak their language, how our food was pathetically lacking in cooked meats.

_I thought you last description meant that-_

There’s a difference between calling someone who earned the same title as you a jackass, and insulting an entire organization because you all grew up where you actually know what the color green looks like. Those assholes were some of the most rude, inconsiderate, ill-mannered soldiers you will ever encounter. Worse, they treated their enlisted like shit.

_How is that?_

Ceannis’ military ethos is that leaders look after their subordinates. In an advance, a leader moves at the front of their platoon, able to effectively order their subordinates to the most advantageous positions and make sure their people are clear as water. On defense, the leader organizes his people to their abilities, and if there’s a need to fall back the leader makes sure all his people are already moving to the rear before they leave their positions.

_And in Sonheim?_

Sonheim treats their enlisted as disposable. On mock assaults, they would assault entrenched positions with numbers, trying to overwhelm us and chew up our bolts and shells. On the defense, the Sonheimic officers would make sure they had a clear route to escape before ordering their people to fall back. Hell, I saw two times when the snow queens would forget that their people needed to fall back. It was too easy to just take out their officers and watch the Sonheim enlisted just fall apart.

_So this attitude extended to Sonheim’s civilians?_

They keep slaves, what does that tell you.

_What other differences were there between operating in the country versus the city?_

Weather was a constant factor for our operations. We needed special connections to the Ceannic Meteorological Agency just to plan for our operations. Snow actually wasn’t so bad, the farmers knew how to keep themselves bundled up and our weapons weren’t typically affected by cold weather. Rain was the worst. If you have an ambush ready, and suddenly the rain starts coming down, you have to weigh how important the target is versus the possibility of being caught by anyone following your tracks after the storm. Crossbow accuracy drops, Mk. 1 shells don’t roll, it’s a mess.

Another factor was the farming lifestyle. The PSB would use local animals as targets, just sick fun. We had to show the farmers we were fighting for them, so we’d have to go out of our way to kill a few PSB to make sure they saw us in action. Sometimes we had to help with harvests, other times making sure that their herds were defended from predators. We spent so many nights guarding goat pens and cattle because of wolf attacks. Attacks we know Sonheim allowed.

_How did you know that?_

Wolves never rolled around that close to the settlements, the farmers set traps to make sure that their herds were protected. We found those traps sabotaged and ripped out of place, wolves aren’t able to do that.

_Was this retaliation?_

It certainly wasn’t for wildlife preservation.

_How did the CPF take on the PSB compared to urban groups?_

When they were still starting to realize that we were going on the offensive we took them out piecemeal. Small ambushes, hit-and-run attacks where we’d pick off one or two and then run for the cover of the nearest trees or tall fields. Separating members of the patrols from one another and carrying them off. We didn’t just attack them, we made them afraid to even step out on patrol.

_Did you attack them in nearby towns as well?_

Why wouldn’t we? We’d strike from the woods or from a distance and flee, there’s no point in leaving them a safe harbor. We needed them to know that they would always, always been under threat from us.

_Would you say you were successful?_

I’m still here.

**Mr. Blackleaf – Interview 28**

With Thorn as the official “face” of Ceannis regarding the rebel movements and Amande safely in our pocket, our behind the fence operations confirmed that the tone of Ceannis was turning to support the rebels against Sonheim.

_What do you think was the determining factor of this?_

First, plan and blatant racism. Ceannic isn’t “post-racial”, it’s riddled with racists against Sonheim of every stripe. If you’re Feabhric, you’re always looking at a Getsunese like they’re gonna try something. If you’re Iullic, you’re waiting for someone to come after you for being part of some dark child-murdering cult. But _everyone_ in Ceannis loathes Sonheim on some level. The only ones who don’t are making money off them, and they only hate them.

_You believe that you were playing off the prejudices of the Ceannic population?_

It was easy frankly. The population knew that Sonheim was behind the crystal prices rising in private, and Amande kept railing about things as they were. The iron was hot, and we had to keep striking.

_What was the next step by the NDI?_

We focused on getting more information out of Sonheim’s territories. We had dozens of networks set up across Sonheim’s ministries to keep us on the alert for anything coming down the pipe. So far, the PSB was an even bigger whipping boy than before. BSS and Sonheim Army intelligence were outright mocking them, making them out as even more worthless than before, and that one of their departments needed to take over the role of civilian policing in the territories. It was what we needed.

_Why would that be a benefit?_

The BSS and Army were our primary targets, the PSB was, shall we say, a training tool for our rebel groups to cut their teeth on. PSB officers were weak, but they were useful as proof that the rebels could get things done against Sonheim. It helped for us that the PSB decided to get “tougher” against the rebels. *Mr. Blackleaf pulls up several images*

*Image 1: Two PSB officers taking two wives into custody, forcefully pulling them apart from each other*

*Image 2: A PSB officer throwing a man to the ground; the man’s hover-chair is smashed by another PSB officer*

*Image 3: An RRT team breaking into a temple, throwing out several civilians and religious figures*

*Image 4: A PSB officer beating a man in the middle of a city street, other PSB officers shoving back others trying to help the man*

_I remember seeing these pictures in several newspapers._

This was a masterpiece against the PSB. *Mr. Blackleaf pulls up a video*

*Video: A RRT team forming up outside a tenement. The team numbers at least twenty men, with PSB officers outside keeping crowds away. Multiple members of the RRT are armed with short blades. A member of the unit takes a sledgehammer to the door and the team rushes inside. Shouts and screams erupt from inside as the team rushes in. PSB officers rush in after the RRT, begin dragging civilians out in manacles; more shouts from inside; a man comes flying out of a fourth floor window, lands on the pavement; crowd erupts into panic.*

This was a public relations coup. The harder the PSB tried to resist, the more we built support for the rebels. More importantly, the more support CASK received. They were getting individual, small-money donations by that point.

_That wasn’t a problem at first?_

We needed to keep our payments going, and if it took a little strain off our typical operations? We put it to Pres. Romarin, and she saw no problem.

_Her memoirs claim that she had no part in the decisions on off-the-books funding._

Of course not. Neither would the official records. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone when that wasn’t found.

_And as far as you were concerned?_

I suppose we did overlook a few things.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 29**

When we learned CASK was becoming more effective, we realized that we needed to engage our own political operations. We began organizing our on in-nation political wing, “The Manborg Republican Brotherhood.”

_Did the people in Manborg agree with this idea?_

They flocked to us for it. They couldn’t believe that someone was ready to stand up, to make Sonheim answer to the people. We roved the tenements, scoured the countrysides, we made it clear that Sonheim was finally being taken to task. We started organizing the people, setting up voting rolls, making sure that there were routes to get the word to the press.

_Did your Ceannic advisors make these ideas?_

No, these were our own. And they agreed it was a good idea.

**Mr. Blackleaf – Additional**

We only authorized this to draw attention away from the actual rebel groups.

**Gen. Silverthorn – Additional**

We only authorized it because it was of no military importance.

**Adm. Kelp – Additional**

We only authorized it as a means to keep Sonheim’s intelligence services guessing.

**Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood – Additional**

We only authorized it because we figured they’d earned it.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich**

We set those groups up, and they weren’t our primary concern. Our focus was to keep carrying the fight to Sonheim. They tried to shore up numbers by pressing Sonheim slaves into PSB service, but no matter what kind of control chips they shoved in it wasn’t enough. You can’t make a man a fighter through compulsion. You make him a fighter by having him fight.

_The PSB was worthless by now then?_

No, the PSB was still a threat. One of our political meetings was raided for, “Anti-national actions”. They stole the area voting roll, arrested dozens. They had to set up a special prison for the political arrests. They called it Sonheim National Prison Facility 42, but everyone with a lick of sense called it the Maze.

_Why was that?_

The place was laid out to prevent escape as effectively as possible. The grounds were surrounded by interconnected lanes of wire fences, you had to cut through several to just get away from the walls. Inside only the guards had access to maps, you’d have to get one to open one up for you. Trained dogs were used to patrol the facility, and special construction systems were used to prevent tunneling out. They literally dug a series of trenches and filled them with concrete.

_This is what began the prison operations?_

With keen insight like that, it’s no wonder your government assigned you to carry out this research.

_Sir, we need to carry this out to ensure that we gain as detailed a record of what happened as possible._

And when will this record see the light of day? When do you plan on releasing the truth ? Your government won’t. Because you and your government still see Sonheim as a valuable source of cheap crystals. Take yours out, and tell me where it came from.

_Sir-_

You won’t? I can tell you where it came from. It came from the blood and slavery of others. We’re finished for today, ask someone else about the prison campaigns.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 30**

The prison campaigns had a two-fold objective. First, to tie up the PSB by forcing them to expend resources in trying to recapture their prisoners. Second, it was a play to get Sonehim’s leadership even more incensed at the PSB. They were already reeling from our slow war against the PSB, now it was our time to put them down.

_Your goal was to destroy the PSB?_

No, we knew that we’d never be able to destroy Sonheim’s state apparatus. Our goal was to keep draining them. The prisons were already more than they could have expected in terms of costs, and we were going to show them how ineffective they were. We set up protests, forced the PSB to own up. Massed marches through the cities and villages, calling for representation in Sonheim as special representatives from the conquered territories.

_Why the development of such specialized prisons?_

Sonheim had tried already to put rebels in their typical prisons, with their typical ideas on how they worked. They bullied our people, they slapped them about, beat them down with clubs. They didn’t expect it when our people didn’t break, when they started fighting back, started escaping. They needed staff to man the prisons, and that meant it was a choice between guarding the streets and guarding the offenders. They weren’t used to the idea that people in their pens were fighting back.

_Fighting back?_

Well we didn’t have the resources in the prisons to truly fight back at first, but we did prove to the PSB that we weren’t going away. The groups didn’t buckle, fought back when the guards tried to beat them down, showed that they weren’t about to fall to pressure. One of our own, he was one of the first arrested, PSB bribed or intimidated witnesses to jail him. After a group escaped, they told us he resisted, that every beating he would just get back up and stare back at them. They said the guards had to resort to shoving him in an isolation cell, they were that scared of him. They’d even started recruiting members of the prison population into Dark Autumn, the prison guards were getting scared of what we’d started.

_So what made these prisons so different?_

Each one was built like a maze, and had members of RRTs present at all times on standby. Strip-searches mandatory every week, lockdowns at the slightest sign of trouble. That led to the Sheet Protest.

_What led to the act?_

We knew that pictures were getting back to Ceannis, to people who could give money to CASK. We knew that the prison efforts would only gain us more sympathy. Every action by Sonheim was only playing into our operations. The prison was the coup de grace for the PSB.

_What started the Sheet Protest?_

PSB guards decided that they wanted to humiliate and wear down our people in the prisons. They withheld blankets and cold-weather clothing, forced them to huddle in thin sheets during the winter. They even denied them buckets for their waste.

_Surely that went against international prohibitions on cruel and inhuman-_

Would you wake the fuck up?

_I’m-_

Look, I get it, you’re just a fucking archivist trying to record the accurate record of everything. So look, off the records, can you maybe just show a single trace of simple fucking humanity? Here, I’ll do it for you.

_Wait, Mr. Saguaro-_

**Archivist Carlo Honeylocust – Interview Fuck You**

Please, Mr. Saguaro-

_No, you want to do this? Fuck you, you’re as much a part of this as I am now. So you’re on file now to. So talk, how old were you when the stories about Sonheim’s actions were coming out._

Mr. Saguaro-

_I’ll tell you how old you were. You were some punk college kid, probably thinking that he was able to understand that the people under Sonheim’s rule and that he knew that he could help in his own little way. You thought you could march in a few protests, sign a few petitions, even send a little money to CASK. Go on, you can tell me after all, it’s an interview._

Mr. Saguaro, I’m pleading-

_But you didn’t know what was happening in those places did you? No, you were safe in your fucking dorm room, laughing at the idea that maybe those rebels can do anything against Sonheim. Only your money went to a man who had his wife taken away by the PSB to have their way with her, or watched as his son was killed in a botched PSB raid. Did you see the pictures from the Sheet Protests?_

I did-

_Did you see the walls covered in shit? Did you see their faces left caked in filth? What did you do when you saw that?_

I…I…

_Go on, say it._

…I laughed.

_You fucking laughed. You laughed at how dirty they were, at how ridiculous the whole situation was, but it was okay wasn’t it. It was okay because you signed your papers and you threw some change towards CASK to make yourself feel like you did some good. You just watched as our people carried out the Sheet Protest, and as they only got worse._

I didn’t-

_You didn’t do anything to be a bad person? No, you didn’t, and I know you didn’t. What you didn’t do was pressure the Senate, did you? You didn’t care that one of our people died from an infection, that the pneumonia could have been prevented by decent care. No, because they weren’t people to you. They were pictures on a crystal, names in a paper._

They…they were.

_So here’s the deal, no more fucking stupid questions to me, okay? Don’t fucking insult my intelligence, don’t insult the intelligence of anyone who might listen to this got it? No, it fucking didn’t confirm to everyone else’s ideas on what was just and humane. Sonheim doesn’t exist on that plane of basic decency. The Sheet Protest ended after five months not because the PSB looked bad enough that Sonheim had to give up, it stopped because the PSB didn’t fucking care what happened to them. Don’t tell me that what Sonheim did went against decency. That whole fucking place is indecent._

I think we’re done for the day.

*****

_ I can’t believe how hostile Saguaro is. I can’t believe how hostile  _ all _of them are! What am I doing that’s so wrong, this is just how my job has to be, right? My personal opinions don’t matter in this line of work, only the facts. At least the reporter and special agent aren’t treating me like I’m some kind of cold monster._

*****

**Mr. Macaster – Interview 31**

The Sheet Protest gained even more sympathy for the rebels, but the escapes made world news.

_When did word of the escapes first come to the attention of the media?_

Three days after they occurred. Word had come through CASK that several political prisoners had escaped from SNP 15, five members of the ERM managed to break out of the prison and flee into the region. The PSB had suffered two wounded in the escape, and as soon as it looked like the story was ready to die down two more escapes occurred. Suddenly escapes were almost a weekly event, the circulation regarding each escape was amazing to watch.

_The public responded positively?_

They responded exactly how we expected them to. They ate it up, it was a classic “fool the authorities” story. For the people in Peacockton, having the chance to read stories, real life stories, of people in far away places making Sonheim look like the worst fools in the world.

_And the warehouse story still wasn’t gone in your mind?_

No, I still kept periodic updates on the story. Still nothing new though, there was no sign that anything illegal was yet found. Only…something was a little different on the streets.

_How so?_

There was a lot of cash suddenly flowing around, cash going to the weapons guys. It seems that someone was buying up the weapons market for their own ends, practically cornering it. The crime desk said that this kind of movement in the weapons market was unheard of, it was on a scale that that no other crime family would ever buy at unless there was a mob war brewing.

_But there clearly wasn’t._

No, the crime desk said it was point-blank not in the cards. No one wanted to step into the limelight believing that the NPA would come down on them.

_Why didn’t your editors believe that this case should have been dropped then?_

Their senses were picking up too about things. The uptick in weapons, a mysterious warehouse made by a shell company, and all the typical criminal suspects are quiet? No, they kept the warehouse leads open on the chance that there was something to it.

_It was about this time that CASK was becoming more adamant over their desire for the various rebel groups seceding from Sonheim, correct?_

We picked up on that almost instantly when the volume got louder. CASK began canvassing areas of refugees and immigrants from the occupied regions, building up support for the idea that they were beginning the real first steps to returning their homelands to their own control, and kicking Sonheim’s forces back into the frozen north.

_What had the opinion of CASK been before the rebel groups started to make their operations more forcefully?_

That’s just it, CASK hadn’t existed before then. There were several rebel-affiliated groups believing that they could garner support to fight Sonheim, but CASK, it was like it formed overnight. I interviewed several representatives of the member organizations, and not a single one had ever heard of CASK before the operations began.

_And after?_

They said that money was pouring in, that now they were able to support independence efforts in the homeland for the first time since some of them could remember.

_You didn’t ask what they meant by this?_

I tried, they just brushed it aside. They seemed to think that as long as they were getting money to use against Sonheim, they were in golden, untouched territory that they’d never believed they could access before. If they were going to give up what they were talking about, they weren’t going to tell me.

_None of the public had problems with this?_

Of course not. The Sheet Protest had firmly turned the public against Sonheim, there was no going back. Every write-in opinion piece was about how pathetic we were as a nation for not supporting these groups in their fight for independence.

_Would you say there was a purposeful effort to bury certain stories then?_

We didn’t need to bury anything. The people weren’t reading any of it.

**Special Agent Porand – Interview 32**

Typically we don’t handle just investigating any organization that appears out of the blue, but I noticed that CASK appearing so shortly after the creation of the company running the warehouse, that wasn’t just a coincidence.

_You felt that the two were connected?_

I certainly did. There was no way that the two weren’t connected, not when the rebels were suddenly embarking on an offensive all over Sonheim’s territories.

_What were the specific statutes you feared were being interfered with?_

Ceannis has multiple laws stating quite clearly that the supplying of funds and weapons to any group of non-state actors or unrecognized organizations. Only the Ceannic government was allowed to make such decisions, and none had been publicly declared. It was, to say the least, suspicious.

_Did you bring this to your superiors?_

I did, but to my honest surprise they didn’t seem interested.

_This struck you as odd?_

I knew that if they were going for weapons, organized crime would be involved. We were going after organized crime to an intensified degree, but for some reason we had nothing involving weapons or trafficking involved in our reports. It was all focused on drugs and illegal sex work.

_What about the investigation focused on the warehouse?_

We were trying to carry out our investigation, but there was no luck anywhere, the entire operation had stalled. I managed to persuade the leadership to keep the file open at the very least, but I needed more to connect the dots between the two.

_So how did you proceed to investigate CASK?_

Well we didn’t have any cause, so warrants were not going to be available for our operations. What we did have were rookie agents available for us to use. We wrangled two teams worth of them, had one set on gathering up the paper trail and the other actively surveilling the lower-ranking members of the CASK associated groups.

_Why the lower members?_

If it was connected to organized crime, it was the simple method to use. You indict the lower level guys, grab them and give them a choice; work with us and get a chance to avoid jail time, or don’t, watch your buddies flip, and go to jail for a long, long time. I had our teams cataloging everything, every face, every financial transaction they thought they saw.

_How long would such an investigation take?_

Years, unless something broke it open. We didn’t think anything would come out of it so fast though, and honestly the whole office was wrapped up in what was happening in Sonheim.

_Personal discussions?_

Every day. Amande’s broadcasts, Thorn’s reports to the public, it was impossible not to talk politics in the office. Of course, we couldn’t badmouth Romarin on not standing against Sonheim, that’s our boss after all. No, the real problem was that we had to take as much personal bias out of the picture as possible. If we let ourselves be influenced by what we knew was propaganda, there was no chance of a fair and unbiased investigation of CASK’s actions in-country.

_And none of the agents in Peacockton had any idea what CASK truly was?_

Not in the least. Fact was that we had to make sure we didn’t make excuses. If someone said, “Well, maybe CASK was at this store just buying hardware and supplies”, someone had to say, “Or they were buying materials to ship to the rebels in Sonheim”. If no one did that, we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with this investigation.

_Many of the files released about the investigation note that the NPA had multiple notations on their files that personal bias was a factor that couldn’t be ignored in the course of action. Do you feel this was an appropriate response?_

Without a doubt. We all knew that the propaganda being pushed was going to affected us whether or not we wanted it to. Putting that in made it clear to anyone who would follow up that our people were making sure to cover the appropriate stations when the time came.

_So there was little doubt in your mind that things were proceeding appropriately?_

Oh don’t misunderstand, bookkeeping needed to be done. One of our agents had family from Manborg, I had to take him off the case because his parents were adamant believers in Sonheim’s “slave-owning”. Another agent, she had to be transferred once it was found that she’d given money to a CASK-affiliated group. Two of them had to be taken off the case because they were heard by another agent talking with each other on how they could word their reports in the most beneficial light.

_So it was difficult to have your people remain on-task?_

I won’t deny that I found the sudden surge in anti-Sonheim sentiment uncomfortable. I don’t like their government, but it was stepping beyond that it felt like. The people of Sonheim have their culture, there isn’t anything we can truly do about that without betraying our own national ideas. Except for vampires of course.

_What makes vampires different?_

Vampires are assholes.

**Knight-Sgt. Phacelia – Interview 33**

The biggest prison break was from the CPPF, planned over the course of six months. It was reported back home as “The Brilliant Breakout”.

_This was the escape of sixty-four political prisoners from Sonheim National Prison 18_

Yeah. forty CFFP, fourteen CPF, eight PFC, and two prisoners who helped forge documents that wanted to join the rebels. Those guys worked their butts off to get to where they wound up.

_What specifically happened?_

Well I learned over the course of the operation that breaking out of prison isn’t so easy. First, you have to figure out the layout of the place, how things work. With the PSB, that was normally a very hit-or-miss prospect. Only ever since the rebellion had started up, there was a schedule, and more importantly there were glaring holes in the schedule. Prison leadership could order any man with daily duties to abandon them for something they wanted. Lack of identification was considered an inconvenience rather than a security risk. There was no real plan or skill or even basic intelligence behind the prisons, just a need that needed to be addressed by the PSB.

There was a division of labor in the prison escape committees. There was leadership, the overall planners who would assign roles and take command. Since the rebels were fighting a war, they needed to adhere to a military command structure even in prison. There were security committees, watching for potential leaks among the prisoners or guards that would alert the PSB to our plans. Some men went on work details in the prison laundry, they used their jobs to smuggle out uniform items from the guards and other PSB officers to use for the escape. An entire group of forgers was made to create ID papers and backgrounds in case our people were confronted by the PSB on the outside.

_Were any prison officials complicit in the escape?_

We were able to bribe several of them, give them hard gold and get them to give us vital information. Times of carriages entering and leaving the prison, distances between walls, even letting us look over their uniforms. Some were even bribed with simple things from Ceannis. You have no idea what a good bar of chocolate goes for in that icy hellhole.

_There were no issues among the prisoners carrying out the escape?_

Of course there were. Even after clearing out the leadership there was still work to be done. Two of the CPF and four from the PFC refused to work with each other, carried out their own escape attempts. One man just lost all hope, threw himself at a fence and got riddled with bolts. Worked in our favor, the snow queens didn’t think there was anything big going on thanks to those guys, and they never talked.

_Can you talk about the night of the breakout?_

The entire plan was scheduled to go off after lights out. The forgers had made several dummies to fool the guards, fake heads with hair from the prison barber shop to put in the bunks. There weren’t enough to go around though, so the men going later would have to risk leaving their beds empty as they made it out.

The worst part for some of our people was the tunnel. Two of the tunnel team were claustrophobic, and one of them had some of the tunnel collapse on him. The tunnel didn’t cave in, but they were fine after the dirt was dug out. Another team was able to use a prison delivery wagon to break out, disguised as guards and other staff. The biggest problem was that our diggers came up short of their planned point, the tunnel was supposed to J-hook around a boulder and come up on the other side. Problem was that they misjudged the distance and came up _in front_ of the boulder. Came back to bite us when our people tried to get prisoner 69 and 70 out. Guards found them trying to move, and they caught 68 before he could get far enough away. Complete lockdown, no one in our out. 65 to 67 got caught just outside of what was considered the prison grounds.

_But the rest managed to escape._

For a while. The PSB was forced to call in the Army to assist, scouring the countryside for the escapees. Three were caught in the nearest town, they forgot what to say when the snow queens spoke to them in Cordelian instead of Sonheimic. One of them even answered in Cordelian.

Fourteen were in a dispersed group moving for an airship, thought they were home free, but a passenger had the same name as one of our forged IDs and the snow queens caught them. Seven more were tagged trying to board a local cable car, that one was the worst. There was a shootout, two civilian casualties and none of our people made it. The rest were picked off either by roadblocks, during further escape attempts, or just out of bad luck.

_Fifty-three in total were recaptured._

I need to get myself a drink, sorry. *Phacelia grabs a glass and a bottle of Sonheim vodka* Developed a taste for the stuff, bad as it is. Well, they put forty-two of them in a series of wagons, started on the path back to the prison, but they were stopped. We’d had a team observing the convoy as they moved, they stopped outside a nearby town. At dusk.

_At dusk?_

*Phacelia pours a glass of vodka* Vampires are valuable parts of Sonheim’s economic, political, and yes, military infrastructure. They don’t like it when the little people stand up to them. Especially not people who are willing to fight back. They lined them up, shackled them all together. At first our team thought that it was just the PSB adding a little extra humiliation. That’s when…

There were only two of those black coaches. Just two. The team watched as the shadows grew, our people stood out in that field…

_You were…part of that team?_

I was. *Phacelia becomes visibly agitated* I was the advisor sent to accompany, I watched. The damn snow queens were laughing as they gathered them together, and then the shadows dropped…

_We don’t have to continue this interview if you feel you can’t ma’am._

I want to. *Phacelia drinks the glass* They opened the doors, and out come the vampires. Our people stopped their talking, stopped trying to find an escape, they knew what was about to happen. I told the team to record everything, every piece of what was about to happen.

The vampires get out, there they are, dressed in silks and gold and the finest shoes. Even the highest ranks of PSB that were there kept back. They only came close when they accepted the money from the vampires. Our people just stood and stared, I mean they just turned and stared down the vampires. I…I watched them just stand there…Some of them stood proudly and tall, others helped the wounded stand tall despite their wounds. It was…It was hard to watch.

Just four vampires. Only four vampires versus forty-two unarmed, malnourished, weakened men. And you know what?

_What?_

They fought. To a man, every one of them, they laid into those leeches like a man possessed by imps. No one, not a single one tried to run or beg for mercy. I saw one man, his arm was hurt it was obvious, I saw him swing at one of the vampires as it fed on another man. A few even tried using their shackles on the beasts. Some of them kept trying to fight as they were being killed, and you know what else? I saw those vampires. They were bleeding.

_They hurt the vampires?_

It was over in maybe five minutes, and that’s probably because the vampires wanted to take their time. At the end they stood, wiping the blood off, and one of them winched as he did it. You can check the tapes, you’d definitely have access, record ID D4-138-ANE42. That leech fucking winched as he wiped off his face. Oh it was beautiful, because they all froze when he did that. They knew what it meant.

_What did it mean?_

They were finally being challenged, and they might lose. Their territories were practically in open revolt now, people were joining the rebel groups in fives, tens, whole squads were being made whole-cloth. We barely had enough weapons to arm them with our shipments. But we knew that we couldn’t have them declare full-on rebellions yet, Sonheim wasn’t bled. They were wounded, but a wounded beast is the most dangerous. No, we had to keep fighting. I had an important job though.

_What job was this?_

Getting footage of the Brilliant Breakout to the world.

**Mr. Macaster – Interview 34**

That footage was a propaganda coup, no question. The people ate it up, CASK affiliates couldn’t stop talking about it. Not only did anti-vampire movements become closer to CASK, it got the common people mobilized.

_Against Imri and Stanczia?_

Especially against Imri and Stanczia. When it was made more public that our only spelltech crystals were coming from a vampire-owned enterprise, the people were in an uproar. They were protesting out of any office even remotely connected with the two. I covered at least five protests in the space of a week, some on the same day. We had to hire on extra reporters and staff with how fast things were moving.

_How did Sonheim react to the footage?_

In their way. It was all fake, an attempt by criminals and bandits to justify their actions. They claimed that the footage was all a ruse to incite unrest in their own population centers. To paint vampires in a negative light, and that no member of Sonheim’s nobility would ever stoop to such actions. It was unadulterated, raw, still-bloodied red meat for Romarin to throw to the people.

_How did the media view it?_

Amande was taking it to the bank. His advertisers loved it too, to them it was more listeners for him to shill to. Thorn echoed the sentiments, you could tell that he was feeling the hate too. It was like that show within a show on that kids show, _4891_ , you know? Everyone had a target to hate, and the government didn’t hurt how it was going.

_And there was still no connection in your mind or evidence between the warehouse, CASK, and the government._

No, that was the furthest thing from my mind, because Sonheim had just announced a new strategy for dealing with the rebels.

_What was that announcement?_

They were deploying the Sonheim Army.


	5. Chapter 5

**Section 5 – Hibernation**

**Gen. Silverthorn – Interview 35**

The Sonheim Army is only deployed when necessary. Expenses are prohibitive, their NCOs are pathetic, and their officers shielded from the actual responsibilities of command.

_Can you expand on that sir?_

The Sonheim Army has at best a core standing force of anywhere from forty-five to sixty-five thousand men at times of peace or low-level conflict. The majority of these forces are men and women who enlisted simply to have some food and to a warm place to sleep for a few years, hoping to pad their CVs with patriotic duty to the state. The only forces of any true skill in Sonheim are the Divine Guard. At any Sonheim embassy, at all state functions, and especially in areas they require an experienced combat presence, they’re deployed.

_What sets the Divine Guard apart?_

A more intense training regimen at the least. They’re made to be the elite shock forces of Sonheim’s Army, capable of operating in any environment and utilizing any weapons, even down to their bare hands. They only number at best a few thousand in any region, but even a squad of these men and women can turn the tide of combat in their favor. Thankfully we didn’t need to concern ourselves with the Guard yet. They were only deploying regular army units; light infantry and support elements.

_How do you answer those who ask why Sonheim waited until the Brilliant Breakout to deploy their Army?_

The PSB, for their flaws, are designed to be civilian peacekeepers. Their job is to live, work, and if necessary pacify areas they work in for years. The Army is designed, first and foremost, to take and hold ground against hostile forces. The problem was that Sonheim had never been deployed on peacekeeping operations of this kind, at least for many decades. The knowledge of how to do so was faded, they were little better than show dogs with sharp teeth.

_How did the rebels respond at first?_

Our orders to our people were that they needed to lay low for the time being, let the Army make their first moves to show them what would change. At first, little did. Ethnically Sonheim enclaves in the regions were grateful that they were being protected again, the regional nobility was thankful they could shore up their appearance of being the ones in charge, and the vampires were satisfied that the Army would swiftly crush their unruly meals. Most of the cells remained low, a few volunteered to remain active to see what they could provide in terms of actionable intelligence.

_What did they find?_

Army commanders had learned their lessons from what the PSB had done. Army forces presented a dedicated, unbiased, professional front. They handled any kind of crime, not just our rebel cells. More to the shock of the locals, the Army didn’t discriminate like the PSB had. Sonheimic or not, they didn’t go beating heads because someone didn’t have pointed ears.

_So the Army was seen as a positive?_

Not for our goals. We knew that we needed to force the Army into a state where it was spending more resources than they could stand to lose trying to neutralize the rebels, otherwise our crystals would remain in Sonheimic hands. Coupled with this was the fact that even if the Army was supposed to be a more even-hand than the PSB, the reality was that the Army was simply something many Sonheim residents had no experience with. They didn’t realize what the Army would do compared to the PSB.

_Up to this point, how did the entire operation appear to Ceannic leadership?_

Overall the operation was proceeding as expected, though the escape from Sonheim National Prison 18 had been a sort of alert to the general population in Ceannis that this wasn’t just groups of ragtag movements fighting for no reason. They’d seen what the leeches were willing to do in order to maintain their hold on power.

_You said that several cells chose to remain operational, what did that entail?_

The cells choosing to remain operational would continue their typical operations; bank robberies, foot patrols through friendly neighborhoods, assaulting pre-determined locations, anything possible to gauge the Army’s reactions.

_What happened?_

Three cells of the ELA were our first results. One was committing a bank robbery, two were on foot patrol. The bank team was countered by an Army patrol, there was a short skirmish in which the team was killed. One of the cells on foot patrol engaged as well, two dead. They found that the Sonheim soldiers were at best equal to the RRTs, but they were also more ruthless. Where the PSB would hesitate, the Army knew that weapon equaled threat. The second foot patrol managed to avoid direct contact, but managed to observe response time. The Army used carriages to move response teams around the city at a moment’s notice, capable of responding in ten where the PSB would take twenty to thirty to respond.

_But this was still all to plan?_

Exactly to plan.

**Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood – Interview 36**

What Sonheim doesn’t like to admit, and what we always like to point out, is that when their people enlist, unless they’ specifically sign on for the Divine Guard they’re given a chip implant, base of the skull. It’s specialized for war, makes it possible for Sonheim to train up a battalion of conscripts to the same level as our own basically trained forces in days.

_Are there any drawbacks to such a system?_

The fuck there are! First, you need actual, physical training to develop the instincts and reactions necessary to survive contact with the enemy. The only reason those first few cells took their hits was that they didn’t know what to expect. The observers and the ones who survived took all the intel they could and sent word everywhere.

Next there was the mental, well, let’s call it “disconnect”. Sonheim keeps denying it, but truth is that their chips deaden human emotions, turns their people into emotionless killing machines.

_Isn’t Ceannis’ training designed to do the same sir?_

In a way, but not deadening. Ceannic military psychologists found years ago that trying to deaden the psychology of a person constantly exposed to such stressful situations would only create further mental instability later in their careers and lives. Experiments with similar concepts to what Sonheim used only proved that the idea was a terrible one. Instead of doing our best to cut off emotion, we taught our people that emotion isn’t a crime to have. Like it or not, in the military you will indeed face the possibility of taking another human life. Someone who can look exactly like you, to the point of possibly just being a mirror away from your exact reflection. We started pursuing a new approach. Military training is designed to push a recruit to their breaking points, to see if they fold in stressful situations. After that? Any member of the Ceannis military that feels they’re suffering from any kind of combat or operational related stress is encouraged to immediately pursue mental health counseling and can opt to remove themselves from active duty in exchange for a place in the reserves.

Sonheim doesn’t give a damn about their people. They treat their enlisted like fodder for the bolts and blades, there’s no concern about any lost limbs or even psychological damage. No one’s had the chance to study it, but reports we got from our people reported that when our people got into CQC-

_Can you clarify CQC for the record sir?_

For the love of- CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT. When our people and the rebels got into CQC, they sent back word that the snow queens didn’t even feel it. Their eyes were dead, get it? Lights on, no one home.

_Was this the point in which the advisors became more heavily involved in combat?_

Certainly. We didn’t want to risk our people on the small fries, but with the Sonehim Army involved, we needed to get things moving and fast. Once winter hit, we knew that all operations would be restricted due to the weather in the country, and that even our city cells would be forced to act in a limited capacity.

_What did you believe would be the primary obstacles against the Sonheim military?_

Resources for a start. We’d need to start utilizing any of the NCO and officers weapons we could seize from Sonheim, take their gear and whatever we could so that we wouldn’t have anything useless for the winter. There was no point in grabbing anything from the enlisted, a halberd or polearm is only as useful as your mission allows. We needed short-blades, hatchets, long arms wouldn’t be what we needed at all for the city.

_We were already shipping those weapons in?_

Course. Sonheim’s officers are stuck-up, not stupid. Use of crossbows and explosives made us look like we were focused on keeping at a distance, not able to fight against them face to face. Of course, we still wouldn’t, but then our people started leaving them bodies with the holes in the front.

_I’m sorry, I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean._

The Army had their own medical forces, capable of actually pursuing forensic pathology. You can tell a lot about the way a person died just by checking the wounds. If the wounds are in the front, that means the body had been stabbed when they were facing their killer.

_What was the role of the PSB after the Army was deployed?_

Well the PSB was nominal at this point, there was nothing they could really do. They made a show, patrolled with Army forces, but everyone with half a brain knew who was running the show now.

_How were the advisors taking these actions?_

Well we had figured that when winter hit, we’d need to bring our people in country back for some much needed leave, swap them out, let them recharge before heading back into the dragon’s lair. It’d give the Army time to get complacent too, let their guard down and think that they’d scared the rebels into hiding.

_What was our command structure doing as this occurred?_

Preparing for phase two. Readying another round of bribes, planning out the next shipments for when the weather got better, typical bookkeeping and housekeeping.

_And none of the other leaders found anything that raised any troubles or worries that the plan might be encountering unforeseen circumstances?_

Not at all. We had thought, well, we had thought that we’d planned for everything reasonable.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 37**

My team were some of the first to come back between seasons, our secondaries had already been briefed on what we’d been dealing with and we’d been back when Still Winter was almost finished to prep for Spring. Figured while I was back home for some time, I’d check in with Thorn, see how he was doing. Had no idea he’d become the spokesperson for what we were doing. Wish I’d been told that actually.

_Were you bothered that he was the public face of Ceannis’ position on the rebel groups?_

Bothered? Hell no, I was thrilled. Guy had a public personality, perpetually polite and not a mean bone in his body. True pro, all ways and means. Only thing was, I thought that since he was speaking for the nation, he was already cleared to know what was happening.

_Your command didn’t tell you who was and wasn’t?_

Command didn’t tell us who was and wasn’t, it was a security measure to make sure we didn’t take down the whole thing in case of capture. In retrospect? Yeah, I fucked up.

_What exactly led him to discover what was happening?_

I meet up with him again, was just about midway into the holiday season. We went to lunch at the pub, get to talking again, I take a few jabs at him being the spokesperson for the anti-Sonheim initiative. He tried to laugh it off, but it was weird to me. I mean he was speaking out about verified actionable intelligence on what Sonheim does to their own people, what’s he acting nervous about?

So we’re talking, we’re eating, and I ask him what he thinks, personally, about what’s happening up North. Well he gets a little more nervous, says that it’s weird that everyone in Ceannis is falling over themselves to support the Sonheim rebels when the country treats the hostile tribes on the steppes like monsters. Well I’m thinking a part of it might just be him being Iullic, that maybe there’s something there about it. I try a different approach, ask him how his relationship with his little friend at the embassy.

_What did Sir Estragon say?_

That was, uh, well, things weren’t going so well. It turns out that the embassy leadership had decided that the rebels were basically worse than most Ceannic soldiers. Estragon’s little slave friend had gotten into full-on, *Mr. Saguaro puts on a nasally voice* “They’re hurting good Sonheimic police and soldiers, how can they be so cruel?” It was pathetic from the way he was describing it.

_Pathetic?_

It’s cultural brainwashing, pure and simple. Whatever those assholes did to, ah what was his name, Leif? Yeah, whatever they did to him they fucked his head up.

_You considered Mr. Leif a liability?_

I considered him like I do now; he’s a pathetic little slave that doesn’t have the good sense to wake the fuck up and realize just what he is.

_What is that?_

Property.

_So when did you reveal to Sir Estragon that there was a larger plan in motion behind his broadcasts?_

I asked him how long it took him to rehearse his reactions when he got the information. He looks at me, gets this confused look on his face, says to me, “What do you mean rehearse?” Well I look at him, “Well you have to have some practice before you go on air, especially with the stuff they’re giving you.” He looks confused even more, and that’s when I started to realize, yeah, I had fucked up.

_So his placement as the spokesperson made you automatically believe that he was fully informed._

Why wouldn’t it? It was command’s biggest screw up. I mean just what the hell did they expect, that they could leave the public face of the whole damn thing out of the loop? Still, I don’t deny it, I had a hand in bringing the whole thing down.

_Did Sir Estragon ask questions about it?_

Course he did. I tried to deflect, referenced the NORTHERN BEAR exercises they run, but he pressed. I had to cave, I told him that we were running operations in Sonheim’s backyard, tried to minimize it as much as possible. Only, well, he didn’t react as I expected.

_How did he react?_

He was anxious to ask when we were going to start working against the vampires.

_Did he tell you why he was so focused on vampires?_

Flat out. He said that Imri and Stanczia, those two leeches that bought the mine? He’d found them feeding on his little slave.

_For the sake of the record, can you relate what you told him?_

Well the cat was out of the bag then, but frankly there was no way out but up after letting that slip. I told him that the plan for now was to wear Sonheim down, that we were going to work things to a point where they’d have no choice but to back off from their territories. Only he didn’t seem to really care about that as much as killing vampires.

_Because of the vampires feeding on Leif?_

Exactly. Guy was compromised emotionally, but I guess that was my problem for not recognizing it. We’re so paranoid looking for Sonheim turning our people, we didn’t ever think that they could be liabilities because they opposed Sonheim’s policies.

_I’m afraid that isn’t quite clear enough for the record._

Thorn knew that what Sonheim did was unconscionable. What he cared about more was that the person he loved had been used as a blood bank.

**Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood – Interview 38**

Well Saguaro got quite the ass chewing after he fucked that one up, but we didn’t exactly punish him. He was right, we should’ve brought Thorn up to speed on what we were doing up there. We didn’t have the time to worry about that though, State was raising a fuss.

_Why is that?_

Muscade was claiming that our actions were only creating further instabilities in Sonheim, even though that was the whole damn point. More importantly, embedded NDI and NID agents in Sonheim proper were sending reports south of something interesting; coverups.

_Of the rebel movements to the South?_

Hell no, in Sonheim itself. Suddenly the news was filled with muggings, assaults, especially on Sonheim nobles and military leadership. One low-ranking vampire was even reported as being “accosted by unruly bandits”.

_This was important?_

It meant they were active.

_Can you clarify that statement for the record?_

The Spring Blossom.

_Ceannic intelligence had for decades put forward that the Spring Blossom movement was a rumor, nothing that actually existed._

We share life with long-runners and vampires, I’m sure that if someone came here from a place that didn’t have any of those, they’d call those unbelievable. No, the NDI and NID both had changed their tune; the Spring Blossom was real, and it was moving.

_Why hadn’t they contacted you yet though?_

There was probably no way they could know for sure if we were legitimate or not, plus overthrowing Sonheim was far from our primary goal. We couldn’t imagine a strategic future where Sonheim didn’t exist, let alone one where a completely different government was in charge. Before we could go anywhere with the SB, we had to figure out just how the hell they thought this was the time to get themselves moving.

_Would you say that morale among the operators was at a high point?_

More than high, it was overflowing. The advisors sent into Sonheim had come back in high spirits, and the reports from the rebel movements was that they were recruiting in record numbers and that the infusion of capital and equipment was becoming a determining factor in the success of their operations. Where before they would be luck to even fight back against maybe a small PSB foot patrol, here they were turning the PSB into bodies and gearing up to fight the Army. There was a strong feeling that the Army would be finished before year’s end.

_Was Pres. Romarin pleased with the results?_

Far as I could tell. When we gave her the briefing on our plans when our first advisors came back, she was clapping like a Coast Seal and grinning ear to ear. I remember her specific words were, “This just gets better and better.”

_And your own thoughts?_

Oh hell, I was just giddy that my people were alive. This line of work, you know that one misstep can turn your people into targets for the enemy, and the fact that it hadn’t happened yet was a miracle. We wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.

**Mr. Muscade – Interview 39**

I was livid, I can’t put it any other way. Those fools in Defense had forced Sonheim to call out their own Army? And they saw this as a benefit? No, there was no way this could possibly end in anything other than disaster. To be frank it was from the view of State a total catastrophe, almost on-par with the Peacockton Tariffs fifty years ago.

_Was State being gagged, do you feel?_

Quite the contrary. We were supposed to be the ones vocally influencing Sonheim, telling them to meet with the rebels, to enter into talks bringing all parties to the table. It was sickening, trying to have Sonheim sit down with groups that were clearly just fronts for the rebel factions. Ambassador Beringar had mentioned many times that his government wanted nothing to do with any of the rebel factions, they would rather see those lunatics jailed and stopped than at a bargaining table.

_Did you ever interact with any CASK affiliates?_

Of course, those were made before this whole fiasco. The Movement for Independent Manborg was one of the groups I spoke with frequently, they were certainly sincere in their desire to have an independent and free Manborg again, but when we started backing the rebels the tone of the entire organization had shifted. They became more violent, more severe. They started invoking Leachtrich at public rallies, claiming that their own nations were seeking what she wanted for Ceannis. They were playing to people’s emotions, and they were succeeding.

_Can you elaborate on this please?_

Before, they were simply trying to bring Sonheim to the table, force them to acknowledge that their actions had created more harm for the people of their regions than good and that instead of creating stronger bonds between the northern peoples, they had turned people into slaves and bodies for Sonheim. They spoke out for political freedom gained for the people through elections, marches, becoming independent states within Sonheim’s political sphere. After UNION began, their groups claimed that violence was a, “regrettable reality”, that the people of the northern territories were being forced to fight for their freedoms and that death was a sad inevitability of the struggle. Ridiculous propaganda at best, but it was winning over support because it was showing results.

_Did you ever speak to Sonheim’s vampires about this?i_

Twice, both times at their embassy. The vampires concealed their emotions on the matter well, and I will admit that the massacre after the breakout of Prison 18 was a brutal matter, but the vampires believed, along with Sonheim’s nobility, that the rebels were a threat to their own internal security. With the losses in the PSB crime was on the rise nationwide from the transfer of PSB officers to affected areas stretching resources thin.

_The CASK affiliates claim that the vampires could have easily lent their own private forces to Sonheim’s security apparatus until the rebels had ceased operations._

As much as CASK tried to paint the vampires as some kind of deeply-rooted cabal inside Sonheim’s power structures, the reality was quite different from what I knew. The vampires emphasized that at the present rate of conflict, Sonheim’s economy was starting to suffer dangerous fluctuations, and that if things we didn’t start assisting in tamping down on rebel actions.

_Ambassador Beringar approved?_

He made it clear that Sonheim spending this money on peacekeeping would require increased dollars from the rest of Sonheim’s economy. If that required an increased price for exporting crystals, then that was what they would do. We couldn’t let that happen, or else our population would be suffering from those prices.

_So was this when you determined that Operation UNION needed to end immediately?_

It was clear that while UNION had indeed shaken up Sonheim’s national mentality, we were risking an international incident over trade, we had to end it as soon as possible. The problem was that the results were too clear to ignore, it was rapidly careening towards disaster. Still, I didn’t want to risk breaking the truth to the people yet, not without corroboration from other members of the government. Only no one wanted to see it finished yet. The military was of course going to resist on the grounds that, to them, the operation has been a success. Many other government leaders were under the impression that UNION was either out of their scope of control or that the military had things fully under control.

_Did anyone disagree?_

Only Minister Persil and the leadership of the Chalice. They agreed that the operation was a dangerous tool in our foreign policy, and needed to be ended quickly. We had one ace up our sleeves. The fire-spirits were getting, well, I call it “antsy”.

**Minister Magnolia Persil – Interview 40**

_Interview conducted at Mrs. Persil’s personal residence at subject’s request_

_Subject Age: 67_

_Former Position: Minister of Prophecy_

_Family:_ **CLASSIFIED**

The ministry was fully opposed to what was happening from the beginning, but the arrival of the Sonheim Army was a step too far for everyone involved. The spirits were consistent with their predictions on this, the plan was going to backfire, and the visions were so vague that we had no way to convince Silverthorn or the other leaders of what they were going to do.

_Previous interviews have indicated that the majority of the military leadership seems to view the actions of the Ministry of Prophecy as a detriment to Ceannis’ national security. Can you expand on this view?_

It was honestly the military being far too demanding with the spirits. It relates to several battles that Leachtrich had to face shortly after reorganizing the nation into a democracy. The early ministry had warned that any military actions would be disastrous according to the spirits, but the reformed Army had decided to go into battle despite these warnings. Thanks to their victories our modern borders were established, and ever since the military has always seen the ministry as being a department they don’t have a great need for.

_Did the ministry have a similarly antagonistic relationship towards the military?_

We couldn’t afford to have such a relationship. If the military wanted to go off on their own way, that was their concern. We had a suitable relationship with the Order of the Chalice, they recognized that the spirits are often some of the most reliable sources of information on how we should best defend our nation.

_What were your reactions, personally, to the reports coming out of Sonheim?_

I tried to be as impartial in my assessments as possible, but unofficially I didn’t feel that our nation needed to be involved in Sonheimic political matters. I was fearful that unless we removed ourselves, there would be more trouble. I consulted the spirits myself multiple times. Earlier in the operation, they couldn’t give me any true clarity other than the fact that Sir Estragon was going to be involved at a key juncture.

After the Brilliant Breakout, the spirits gave us a more defined picture to observe. They showed us streets running with blood, tenements burning, and our operators inside Sonheim murdered. We had no idea what happened, but they made it clear that if the operation continued, this was the most likely result. Just images of bodies sprawled across bloodied streets. I couldn’t allow that to happen, and the only way to keep it from happening was ending Operation UNION.

_Did you approach Pres. Romarin about the issue?_

Of course. She was the only person with the authority to order Silverthorn to end the operation and begin to try and repair the damage done. She had always been a firm supporter of the ministry, but when I went to her about the matter, I was shocked to find that not only was she not going to end UNION, she was fully willing to allow it to ride out to whatever end would arrive.

_This was out of character to you?_

It was unconscionable. The fire-spirits were directly warning that disaster would occur, and a sitting president was willing to ignore their warnings in favor of a political victory over Sonheim. As much as I tried to talk Pres. Romarin into seeing reason, I was countered by the fact that public support was high for the rebel movements and that our age-old enemy was starting to suffer. It ate away at everything I had held close about our nation. Worse, there was the intimidation.

_Intimidation?_

Silverthorn and the others would never admit to it, but he wasn’t above sending thugs out to intimidate me. I would notice that as I walked through government centers, military officials would clearly look at me as if I was an enemy. Twice when I tried to enter the presidential residence, the guards would search me for weapons when they knew that I never carried any. The message was clear, I was stepping on Silverthorn’s precious operation and he was not happy. Worse, he never made it an order, so for the rest of my life I have to live with people telling me that he would never condone such actions because of his “character”.

_Mr. Muscade shared your thoughts on the operation though._

He did, but it was two against over a dozen, and the Chalice knew that for now there was no way to stand against the overwhelming majority of Defense. We had no real disasters either, even with the Brilliant Breakout public sympathy was firmly on the side of the rebels. To come out and call for our government to begin censuring CASK and their affiliates would have been political suicide.

_So you kept your opinions private until you felt there was a chance to gain a stronger foothold?_

Of course. My task was to interpret the will of spirits, and with enough time that comes easily. Figuring out the reactions of an entire country? That, certainly, can never be learned.

**Adm. Kelp – Interview 41**

When I learned Sir Estragon had been informed of the operation, I was of course angered. Despite this, Cmdr. Redwood convinced Gen. Silverthorn, Mr. Blackleaf, and myself that secrecy could be maintained. Which was good, because I was busy with preparing for the ball for the Navy’s birthday. It was a stroke of genius by Blackleaf to have Estragon be our guest of honor, of course ostensibly it was to honor his efforts in destroying the dragom.

_Was the ball that important to UNION?_

It was a minor part in the larger play. The Navy always throws the biggest and most celebrated birthday celebration of all the armed forces. Only the Brotherhood comes close, and that’s only because they party far more hard than any sensible sailor would. We, of course, are smart enough to drink to a point of inebriation. The Brotherhood drinks to the point of trouble.

_How did Sir Estragon react to being invited?_

He was ecstatic, couldn’t wait to be part of the festivities. It was obvious from his brief that day he couldn’t wait to join in with the celebration. All he requested was whether or not it would be appropriate to bring a guest. We allowed it, and then…

_How did the birthday ball proceed at first?_

At first it was your typical affair. A cocktail hour leading the festivities, meeting the VIPs and mingling with the other guests. The HQ ball is typically the most ostentatious of course, especially compared to when you’re shipboard. Still, you find a way to make do. Why, I still have pictures of this one time when we were sailing the coast of Beal, and we had this impromptu boat party with some of the locals, ah, now that was a celebration I’ll never forget. *Adm. Kelp looks toward his husband*

_Sir, the ball?_

Right. Well, of course, I’m at the end of the VIP line, shaking hands, giving greetings, the usual, and then I hear a small commotion at the beginning of the line. That’s when I see it and well, if my jaw could have it would’ve been on the floor. There’s Sir Estragon, at the beginning of the receiving line in his full dress uniform, with Leif on his arm.

_This was the Ball Scandal._

I don’t know whether he thought it would be a sign that Ceannis wasn’t opposed to Sonheim's people, if he was trying to be nice to his crush, whatever it was, he had no idea that if he brought a Sonheimic citizen to the ball as the official voice of Ceannis’ information on what was happening in Sonheim, it might cause trouble.

_Trouble?_

Already it was obvious that none of the other guests, and especially none of the personnel present expected Estragon to make such a move. Worse, he realized what was happening, even as Leif was busy being dazzled by how we weren’t treating the staff like garbage.

_You have strong opinions on how Sonheim treats their citizens?_

You know I’m not the only one. I’ve seen how Sonheimic sailors live shipboard, if you want to see a clear violation of the bonds of trust that must exist between superior and subordinate in the military, well, look no further. So to have Leif there, well, it was not a good sign.

_Did you hold any personal resentment towards him?_

Not at all. I knew that Leif was just a poor soul who had been raised in a system that emphasized that he was worthless and that he would always be worthless. I can’t fault a man based on that, only his own actions. I could, however fault Sir Estragon. He, as a knight and an officer, should have clearly known better than to invite such an obvious conflict of interests. Still, there might have been a chance to salvage the situation, so I greeted them politely as I should. “Good evening, Sir Estragon, it’s a pleasure to see you.”

“Good evening sir,” he says. “May I present Leif of Sonheim, my guest for the night.” Now, I extend my hand and expect a shake. He takes it, but all the time his eyes are locked on my sword, and it’s obvious what he’s thinking. Because in the Sonheim Navy, it isn’t uncommon for ratings to be beaten with the side of a blade if they fail to follow orders quickly enough. He knew that if a naval officer has a sword, he can beat someone with it. So, I try to calm him down. “Don’t worry sir, no Ceannic officer would ever use his sword on his own people.” And do you know what he says next?

_What did he say?_

He says, “Then how do you keep order aboard your ships?” Now that, that sent a lot of angry looks his way. Every officer, every rating in the receiving line just glares at him, because the idea that we need to beat our people down to keep the chain of command intact is an insult to every man and woman who has held a command. Thankfully Estragon realized what his guest had just said, and those two made their way rather quickly into the main room.

Well, eventually cocktail hour ends, and the main room is filled with sailors in their dress uniforms and all the tables filled. We were in the Capital Hotel, meaning that of course we had the best for our people. The ceremony begins, a small thanksgiving for our current places and a remembrance for those lost in their duties. The colors are marched in by the color guard, and then Leif makes his next mistake. He doesn’t rise as the colors come in and the national anthem plays.

_This was an insult?_

I knew it wasn’t a purposeful one. He was raised to think any other nation is inferior to his. I saw the faces of everyone in the room after the colors were placed though, if looks could kill Leif would’ve been not just dead, but disintegrated. Well after that I begin my speech, welcome everyone and our guests. “I would especially like to welcome to our ball not only Sir Thorn Estragon, but his guest, Leif of Sonheim. I truly hope that every one of us will make him feel absolutely welcomed at our birthday celebration.” Translation; you bastards had better not embarrass me by singling him out.

So the speech goes on as expected, I remind everyone of their duty to the nation and that such service is never easy. About separation from loved ones and how no matter what their primary duty is, they are part of the strongest naval force in the world and they should never question that they are in such good company. That’s when I hear Leif being told what I’m saying in Sonheim, and again, he makes a mistake. “But how can he claim that Ceannis has the best navy when Sonheim’s is still sailing?” I can’t lie, even I wanted to slug him for that little comment. Worse, I can see it on Estragon’s face that he’s realizing this was a massive mistake.

Still, I carry on to the end of the speech, and I step aside from the crystal to let Estragon have his little speech. He gets applause of course, and he begins with the typical thank yous and greetings. “I remember as my mother set off for another deployment, the deep sense of pride I had in her for being a sailor. I knew that one day, I would be like her. Unfortunately, I pulled a heartsword and became overqualified for the Navy.” Total honesty, everyone laughed at that one.

“The world is both wider than we can imagine, yet smaller than we like to think. It is a priority that we be ever watchful of what happens around us, that we be aware of the changes and realities of the ever-shifting and often confusing phases of mankind. We must never shy away from the necessary, and never betray our sacred ideals to convenience.” It was all good, and that made it worse that there was Leif sitting at the same table holding a crystal and having the whole room watch as he heard the translation basically bounce off his mental barriers.

_What happened after the speeches?_

We partied, of course. Even back then I was old, but as a commander you enjoy watching your junior officers and ratings celebrate. The band was all our own sailors, and of course the Capital had the best catering of any post. The liquor flowed freely and all had fun. All but two.

_Did you feel that you made Leif feel unwelcome?_

On the contrary, my husband and I did our level best to make him feel that he was among friends. We asked him about his time with the embassy, about his life back in Sonheim, but each question was met with a stone wall of deflection. All he could ask about was how the enlisted could afford to be at such a party, or why they were eating the same food as the officers, or even why they had the same dress uniforms. I figure that when Estragon pulled him onto the dance floor, it was to try and distract me and my husband. Of course, Pulai said it more succinctly than I am right now. “Honey, that boy is all kinds of fucked in the head.”

Watching them on the dance floor was the worst of it. Estragon was able to greet old friends, speak to them for a few seconds, but the second Leif got close they all said they had to take care of something or get a new drink. When he got Leif to the floor, he wouldn’t dance. I found out later than his “dance clause” in his rental agreement hadn’t activated yet. That was when the band decided to break out a rendition of “The Broken Ice”.

_They what?_

I know. As Leif finally starts to dance, the band starts singing about the Battle of the Olfen Fjords.

_Did Leif know what they were singing about?_

Of course he did, he recognized some of the words and names. Only he thought we were singing and dancing to a song that honored Sonheim. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that Sonheim wouldn’t teach their slaves about their worst naval defeat in their long history of naval defeats. It was a bizarre sight, watching as Leif cheers along with my sailors as we sing about sinking their ships and leaving survivors for the sea monsters if the cold waters didn’t claim them first. Sir Estragon knew though, and he looked ready to kill because of it.

I didn’t say anything when he walked out early with Leif, I couldn’t say anything. I watched as some of my men mimed rather explicit actions being taken by the two, but when the ones acting like Estragon mimed handing money out, well I didn’t disagree. Worse, it broke my faith in Estragon. He was compromised, horribly, by what he thought was a real relationship.

_What was it from your perspective?_

Renting a warm body, no different than when his mother put into port before she was married.

_Sir Estragon has been quite adamant that his relationship with Leif was real._

He can say that now. He can say that because it is, at the present. During UNION he was quite literally sleeping with an agent of a known unfriendly foreign power. The news the next day had a field day with it. *Adm. Kelp brings up several images on his personal crystal; all are newspaper headlines*

*National Hero Attends Naval Birthday with Sonheim Servant”; “Sir Thorn Estragon Dating Embassy Staff”; “Sleeping With the Enemy! Thorn and Slave in Lover’s Tryst!”*

I still hate that last one. Worse, it damaged our relations with CASK and their affiliates. They put out a dozen press releases, they were livid that the person that was reporting on Sonheim’s atrocities was willing to bring one of their “oppressors” to a state function like that. We were pulling damage control for some time after that. Still, as far as balls go, it wasn’t as bad as the one I celebrated when I was patrolling off the coast of the U.I.

_Why was that worse?_

I had to celebrate without my husband there that night, and let me tell you, celebrating alone after a ball is no way to celebrate at all. From what I learned, Thorn was celebrating the same way that night.

**Special Agent Porand – Interview 42**

Things seemed to settle down as Winter carried on, and that was bad news for us. It was like CASK and their friends had decided to focus solely on fundraising events. They held their own balls, put out their own fundraising notices, they were playing all the right heartstrings. The worst was their work among the ethnic enclaves in the nation.

_Why did that make the situation worse?_

Even as much as these groups had integrated with Ceannis’ national culture, they still held onto their cultural identities with a death grip. They had come to this country with a radical hatred of Sonheim, and they had taught it to their children and grandchildren. By the time CASK had started operations, they had become comfortable middle class citizens with money to spare for causes in their homelands. Anyone trying to stop this was an enemy.

_Your agents were assaulted?_

No, but not for lack of effort on the part of the people giving money to CASK. I didn’t understand why at first, but whenever we set up a surveillance operation on a CASK fundraiser they knew we were watching. They never said anything about sending money or shipments of goods to the rebels, only that, “The support of their distant relations would give them the means to throw off Sonheim’s oppression.”  They flaunted the fact that they knew we were watching, made a game of it. They would leave their events and wave at our surveillance teams, by the imps they knew where our teams were positioned.

_Did you feel this was a breach of some kind?_

No, we’d done our due diligence and cleared out any agent who might have divided loyalties. We knew that our team wasn’t compromised, the only way they were able to skirt our teams was a breach at a higher level. Which, of course, was an insanity I didn’t even consider.

_Why is that?_

Because my superiors knew that the operation was key to possibly unraveling an organized crime operation, and here I was faced with the possibility that my superiors’ staff were leaking this information to these groups. God, when you look back on it I really did have my head up my ass.


	6. Chapter 6

**Section 6 – The Troll Awakes**

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 43**

By the time Spring was approaching we were ready to begin operations again. We had mapped out the Army patrol routes, marked their barracks facilities and storage depots. The rural units did the same, now it was just a matter of waiting to strike. The thaw would be too obvious, we knew we had to wait some time before we hit again. When we did, they were struck with a thunderclap. Simultaneous attacks on Army posts, patrols, and supply depots. We thought it was dealing with the PSB all over again. Only, of course, it wasn’t.

_When did you first realize that the Army would respond more harshly?_

The second round of raids. They were even more brutal than the PSB and UNA were. Any sign of resistance was met with beating their target until said target was beaten bloody. Trying to fight back was nearly impossible, those chips in their necks made those monsters invulnerable to pain. They had armor, and they had better weapons than clubs. This time, there were deaths in response to our actions.

_What was the Army’s goal in taking such extreme measures?_

To make us think that it was hopeless to fight them. To force us to believe that somehow our struggle against them was pointless, that to surrender was the only option. Of course, the opposite effect was had. We showed their Army that we wouldn’t be cowed the very next week, we killed two of their officers on a patrol. From then on their officers never went anywhere without surrounding themselves with their slaves.

_Was Ceannic aid still a vital part of the operation?_

More than vital. Even with the additional money and supplies we were receiving, we had to tread lightly with each action. The banks had nearly all become guarded by RRTs and even Army patrols. Random checkpoints were posted on the countryside roads, they were even flying in airships to act as mobile response bases. We were ready to move though, the latest raids had gotten the whole nation into a frenzied state.

_What were your first actions against the Sonheimic military?_

We hit their more isolated patrols first. The groups of soldiers patrolling the neighborhoods that Sonheim didn’t care about. The ones with the richer Sonheimic citizens, their nobility, we were nowhere near capable of handling those numbers.

_For the sake of the record, why were those areas more intensely guarded?_

Those rich cowards couldn’t bear the idea of the people they’d enslaved standing up for a change. They convinced the military to put their forces around the “vital government and economic centers”, like it would change anything. They knew they were effectively being hemmed in, but they didn’t dare leave their damn palaces and offices for fear that they’d have to face the fruits of their bastardry.

_What was your first experience against the Sonheim Army?_

It was on a foot patrol, through the Mulanay District. I was leading a company by then, the old commander had decided he needed to step down due to family issues. We couldn’t blame him of course, when a man has something to lose you can’t hate him for it.

The plan was to ambush a Sonheimic squad, just pathetic fools that were desperate to eat, but not willing to stand up as men. They were being sent off to die in a land they knew nothing about, and we were going to show them that error had consequences. We hid behind a local bakery, it had been left to burn by the PSB in retaliation for what we’d been doing, but the corner it was on was a perfect ambush point. We knew from the first combat encounters we had to disable them as quickly as possible, or else we’d risk losing one of ours to a wounded foe. We laid in wait in that burned out husk of a shop for hours, knowing that we had one chance. That was when we heard it, footsteps coming down the street. Uniform, perfect, never out of step. It was them.

_How many were there?_

Ten. They had to make squads that size or risk their people being overwhelmed. Only their NCOs were given some small degree of thought, they needed to have some higher reasoning or risk being outthought by us.

Well we saw them march into view. Their uniforms were just pathetic honestly, just cheap cloth and trousers better designed for surviving in the snow than combat. The majority of the squad came into view in seconds, and that’s when I ordered the attack. We plugged them with bolts straight through their heads, sliced their guts open and let their innards fall onto the street. Have you ever seen a man with his own intestines still try to kill someone as his very life is starting to fade?

_No-_

See for yourself. *Mr. Larson-Pavelovich brings up images of the fighting on his personal crystal*

*Image 1: A Sonheimic soldier with a crossbow bolt sticking out of the side of his head. Her face is passive.*

*Image 2: A Sonheimic Army sergeant with three bolts through his head and neck; his sword was halfway out of his scabbard; his face is passive*

*Image 3: A Sonheimic soldier, facedown on the ground, with a trail of intestines under his feet; his face is passive*

The bathroom is on the left.

*Five minute pause*

Better?

_No._

Good. You see what we were up against? It was all the same, no matter where we fought. Ten soldiers, and it took half a platoon to down them. This is what we were fighting now, and we had to start getting more and more clever.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 44**

Well when we confirmed what the snow queens had done to their people, all bets were off. We knew that the gloves were gone, we just needed to be the first ones to do it.

_This was the start of the bombing campaign?_

Sonheim knew that they still had numerical and financial superiority over the rebel groups. If they’d had the guts, they could’ve rolled over them just by going house to house, street to street, dragging the rebels and innocents out all at the same time. Only the money-men didn’t like that idea. Fact was, the people in those cities and villages were Sonheim’s economic lifeblood. Most importantly, the regions they had under the tightest control housed the crystal mines. Losing those would destroy Sonheim’s capabilities on the world stage. Our job was to draw the Army’s forces away from those mines, and then go for them. To do that, we needed to start inflicting heavy damage to their forces in a faster means.

_What was the first step in this plan?_

More intelligence gathering. Spring meant more crowds out in the cities, and more concealment for our people on the move. We marked down checkpoints, fortified positions, barracks, where the commanders lived and worked. Even made sure to investigate the brothels and mistresses where the bastards spent their money in what little down time they were given. God, I saw so much weird shit with those crooked old bastards, I mean you don’t know what those old farts are capable of when they’re spending money for a night of fun, it’s downright bizarre!

_Was this for blackmail purposes?_

Hardly. Those bastards are half-expected to have their own fun on their own, their families wouldn’t care because it was not something they had to deal with. This was all to plan out our next operations, to see where they were on any given night and try to plan for it. Thankfully those idiots had a favorite night for each of their favorite slaves, you could set your watch by it. Same thing with their barracks, every change of the guard and each patrol was marked, it wasn’t hard to plan out when they were going to do it.

It wasn’t as simple as the PSB bombings though, these had to be spaced out, carried on for longer periods of time. A single bombing wasn’t feasible, not when their slaves were so thoroughly mind controlled they couldn’t be seduced or intimidated. It was going to have to be all about the timing. The first was the checkpoint in Hansforen Square, it was supposed to check for smuggling of weapons and contraband, but we knew the rich bastards could take whatever they wanted through it for the right price. We planned it well, just sent our people through during the busiest time of the day, they “accidentally” forget to take their bags with them after they’re checked over. We had the timers set so the bombs went off after the crowds had died down.

_Did you plan for civilian casualties?_

Yes, we expected there to be some. So we made sure our people spread the word, a whisper down the lane situation. Everyone who could be told was, and sure enough that bomb only killed the soldiers, no civilians wounded or killed. It carried on like this for the next few weeks, it took the elves so long to figure out how we were hitting their positions it was just sad.

_Were you involved in the first mortar attacks?_

No, that was another brigade in the region. I’m still a little jealous they came up with it before we could. See, we’d never tried to improve on the Mk. 3, it was still just so experimental even after having been in service for a short time. That was when Knight-Corporal Schlumbergera came up with an idea of lengthening the barrel of a Mk. 1, and making a new kind of shell, one that you could fire at a farther distance than we were used to.

_Would you call the first attack a success then?_

Well, honestly no. Schlumbergera and the cell he worked with set up their mortar position away from a fortified barracks near a local park, heavy stone walls and additional concrete construction around it to prevent any kind of assault from getting close. We got lucky, they never expected an assault from above. The mortars were loaded and fired, three salvos of high explosives right down on the barracks when most of the men were inside getting ready for bed. The thing was, the garrison commander had been using a room in the barracks as a temporary holding cell for interrogations. When the mortars landed, we killed seventeen Sonheim enlisted, three officers, and one scared kid who never even knew what killed him.

 _The death of Logan Malthus_.

Christ, Schlumbergera was devastated. If he’d known there was a civilian inside that building, he never would allowed the attack. He had to put in for medical leave after that one. Left the Ax shortly after. I heard he hung himself a little while after he got back. Couldn’t live with the guilt. But I want this record to be very fucking clear, I’m not calling Schlumbergera a coward or claiming he was weak. I’m saying his demons got the better of him, and that’s all.

_What was the initial reaction in Dark Autumn over the death?_

Well, they tried their best to pass it off. A case of collateral damage, something that was bound to have happened sooner or later. It didn’t hurt the cause though, it was easy for people to blame Sonheim over the death for taking in an innocent boy when they knew they were under attack. It was another shot against Sonheim, being turned into murderers of innocents while the resistance movements got even more publicity for being the heroes of the downtrodden and oppressed.

_What about your own thoughts?_

Well I thought the same thing at first. Lost some sleep, anyone would. Still, I had a mission to accomplish. I wasn’t about to let this get in my way.

_Was this when Dark Autumn started creating it’s own weapons?_

Yeah, they realized that those mortars were amazing pieces to use. They’d take the pipe from anywhere they could find it. Construction projects, abandoned buildings, they’d do the metalwork day and night to make new mortar platforms. Pretty soon you’d have people all over the city whispering about which mortar attack was going to hit where. It wasn’t a danger either, by the time the elves figured out they were under a mortar attack their people were already dying and we’d be long gone.

_Why do you think that there had been no civilian casualties before this attack?”_

Total honesty? I have no damn clue. Sometimes it all goes wrong the first time you go on a mission, other times you’re worrying about something that never happens. Word spread through the rebel groups like VD in a ward of nymphomaniacs, and soon there were mortar attacks all over the Sonheim-controlled regions. Of course, there were plenty of groups that didn’t like the mortars. The ELF found them too cumbersome, and the Cordelians didn’t think that these kinds of attacks made the kind of “grand gestures” they thought would lead to a liberated nation.

_So it’s safe to say that these ideas led to the first differences between the rebel groups then?_

Manner of speaking. By now the dozens of rebel groups we’d confirmed to be worth working with had started to develop distinct operational strategies. Thinking back, I guess we should’ve known that’s when things were getting away from us.

**Gen. Silverthorn – Interview 45**

Looking over your reports, I feel the best place to start to explain are the four groups that have appeared most commonly in your reports.

_That would simplify things sir, yes._

Well, when this started we had begun with the idea that these groups only knew their local areas, and that no matter how well trained they were they would still need the skills to be a leader of a resistance movement outside of combat. To do this, they needed to develop the strategies that tailored to what they needed, or even just thought was important.

Take the MLA. Their entire goal was the return of Marborg, and the region around it, to being a fully-sovereign nation free of Sonheim’s interference. That’s why they began organizing their own distinct political organization that stood in official terms separately from their armed operations. The Cordelian groups were trying to create a new ethnic and political homeland for all people of Cordelian descent after the Sonheim expulsion, the three groups created from the Cordelians who had managed to return from the nations that had the highest populations of Cordelians. Dark Autumn was devoted to allowing their citizens to live with a political system of their own choosing, and so operated both as a political and armed organization. Elfmont was focused solely on returning the territory Sonheim had seized in the past to their nation, and so were operating solely as an armed resistance. Each group had similar but distinct objectives, and so there would be similar but distinct operating styles.

_But this wasn’t seen as a threat to UNION?_

If anything it strengthened UNION. If Sonheim had made their move earlier, made a public accusation against us that we were supporting the rebels, there would have been evidence. Instead, with the rebel groups developing their own distinct operating methods, we were further insulated from Sonheimic claims of support.

_What was your reaction to the death of Logan Malthus?_

Sadness. Malthus wasn’t involved with any of our operations in Sonheim’s territories, the fact that he’d been taken by their military as a suspect just shows that Sonheim was desperate for a blame to lay on anyone’s feet. It told us they were desperate, and that they were being hurt. We saw it as the time to hit harder. We had Amande’s bosses tell him to play up the angle, point out how many unknown youths were being caught up in the dragnets. CASK affiliates were starting to organize bigger rallies, marches through city streets. His death was successfully turned into a rallying cry against Sonheim’s occupation.

**Mr. Muscade – Interview 46**

I couldn’t believe it when the Malthus boy was killed. PSB officers and Sonheimic soldiers I could at least understand with such a situation, but to see they were using the death of an innocent boy to advance their political agenda, one that they killed, was too much to handle. I confronted Blackleaf about it as soon as I could, I knew things were getting too far out of hand now.

_How did Blackleaf respond?_

We met of course, outside the Senate’s Yuran office building. It started off cordially of course, State and the NDI need a cordially relationship to ensure that the emplaced intelligence operations in our embassies can continue to function effectively while ensuring secure diplomatic relations. He agreed that the death of Malthus was a step too far, and that he’d make sure word was sent to avoid further civilian casualties by our forces. He even promised that the knight leading that group would be withdrawn immediately, to his credit that knight was.

_Was that enough to satisfy you?_

No. I told Blackleaf that Sonheim was rankled, that we could proceed diplomatically from there, that we could pressure them to review the deal over the Juniper Mine and try to ensure that our gem security wasn’t being endangered. He refused, he made some excuses about being in too deeply now, and that we needed to continue pressuring Sonheim. Apparently they were starting to pull forces from our border, the Army’s Northern Force was in an advantageous position now. Can you believe that kind of thinking? We were secure, and he wanted to continue an operation that had just killed an innocent man.

_What did you take away from this meeting?_

UNION wasn’t going to be stopped from inside the government. Silverthorn and the others were going to push it until we were at war with Sonheim, and they were ready to destroy the nation to do it in the name of ‘national security’.

**Mr. Blackleaf – Interview 47**

I was saddened by the death of Mr. Malthus, Sonheim had no business just grabbing him off the street and holding him. They knew he was innocent, but their local commanders probably figured that they might as well grab someone to work out their anger on. No one mentions that his autopsy noted severe bruising and several lacerations on the body before the blast.

_What was your reaction to Minister Muscade asking for a meeting?_

In all honesty it wasn’t unexpected. I agreed to the meeting of course, I was hoping the incident had made him realize that we needed to put additional diplomatic pressure on Sonheim to begin returning sovereignty to the regions we were focused on. Instead, he just goes right into how we should put UNION on hold to allow State to move in and try to breach a diplomatic solution.

_Why was this a problem?_

It didn’t allow for the territories under Sonheim’s control. These people were fighting on our behalf, risking their lives for our sake and their own freedom, and Muscade wants to throw them under the carriage. His answer was just as insulting. “They did their part, now they can let us handle the rest.”

_Why was that insulting specifically?_

We had promised these people their nations again in return for their actions. What Muscade wanted was to throw these people away now that we had a chance to secure Juniper Mine again. He was terrified that State might have to get its hands dirty and confront Sonheim on their actions. If he’d actually read the reports we were providing, seen the intelligence on Sonheim’s actions that we’d read? State would have gotten of their asses and gone toe to toe with the Sonheimic government. We realized that State was never going to help this one, thankfully CASK was picking up the slack in their place. Their marches were in every major city after Malthus’ death, he became the figure on Sonheim’s oppression. His face was everywhere, from graffiti on the corners to billboards above the skyscrapers. He was our _cause celeb_ , the innocent face stamped out by Sonheim’s oppression.

_Even though his death was caused by a group Ceannis backed?_

The public didn’t care that it was the mortar attack that killed him. In their minds Sonheim brought him to the barracks, Sonheim was the reason he was killed in the attack. If they had never brought him in, he never would have been killed. Money kept flooding CASK, and we could pull back just that little bit more of our own funding to keep other operations afloat. It was a win-win.

_Except for Logan Malthus?_

I learned early on in the operations side of intelligence that no matter what happens, people die. Best to make their deaths mean something.

**Special Agent Porand – Interview 48**

When the Malthus boy died in the mortar attack on the barracks, I was sure that CASK was heavily involved in the arms shipments. We’d traced their money from bank to bank to bank, and found they all lead to various black market weapons dealers. Evidence was building, but we were retasked away to investigate “Sonheimic terrorism”. It was child’s play, they were barely hiding themselves. They’d only been in the country for a few months, they all lived together, and none of them had any source of income but were living in the more expensive neighborhoods in several cities. The Peacockton office found ours living in Feather Hills, just off the main streets to the commercial district.

_These were the Spring Arrests._

Sonheim isn’t exactly good with big intelligence operations. They’re good at putting agents in place, hiding them from investigation, and using them to gather information on another nation’s people and economy. In their embassies, they’re masters of coordinating multiple agents and compromised individuals from the local area. Pulling operations like this? They’re hopeless, we’d seen it dozens of times before. They move for maximum effect using local Sonheim nationals, focused solely on making the biggest splash in the press and on the local governments.

Our office charged me with leading the team that would breach the apartment they were in. We observed for a few days, saw they weren’t even bothering to practice basic fieldcraft. It was clear Sonheim had put this plan together rather rapidly in response to what had happened with the Malthus boy. They were walking the streets for hours a day, watching foot traffic, noting police patrol routes, and spending the rest of their time in their apartments. They were getting packages at all hours of the day, and with the warrants we’d gotten we were able to intercept several before they arrived. They had Mk. 12s, Mk. 1 shells, they were ordering an arsenal. Worse, we knew this meant they were armed. We had to call in our office’s Special Action Group to handle this one. I was just worried.

_Why?_

It was too smooth, too fast. The warrants were approved in hours, no days. The evidence was strong, and the raid warrant was justified, but I felt like we were the ones being railroaded, not pursuing a good and solid investigation. Still, after what we found in those packages we couldn’t afford to wait.

We organized the move, we’d rush them in the morning. One of them always went down to the ground floor to get breakfast and coffee from the café in the same building, and we built our plan around that. We had our people in place around the apartment, dressed up as city employees and local workers. We had cleared the families out of the surrounding apartments as quietly as possible the night before, there was no one inside but the suspects. Our man walked downstairs into the café, ordered the food, and we grabbed him as quietly as possible, barely any fight involved. We knew that if he took too long to return we’d have a problem, we estimated at best fifteen to twenty minutes before his buddies got suspicious.

_What happened to him when you arrested him?_

We had a translator present, read him his rights and got to questioning him. How many people were inside the apartment, what kind of weapons were we dealing with, would they be willing to surrender. He didn’t say anything, just kept glaring at us and spouting off about how we couldn’t stop them. Even when we told him that we had found the cells in the other cities, he kept talking against us. We finally had to just gag his dumb ass and keep him in the back of the café as our teams prepared for the raid.

Now when you plan a raid like this, you need to plan out everything. Entry for the teams, egress for the bad guys, possible casualties, everything and anything that could happen. We put one team at the front door of the apartment, and one team coming in the windows to catch in a pincer. Our sharpshooter teams had the place under observation for hours, we’d marked them all as carrying holdout crossbows and daggers. Typical weapons for this kind of situation, but still dangerous enough if we didn’t take them seriously.

_How many were there in total?_

Six counting the one we’d already grabbed, a pretty typical size for this kind of operation. None of them were related to the Sonheimic government of course, plausible deniability so Sonheim didn’t have to deal with the fallout. We told our teams our guy wasn’t going to break, we had to move.

Typical plan is for our shields to move in first, block as much of the doorway as possible as or shooters fire from behind it after we toss in some flash bombs. The second team in the windows catches the others off-guard in the seconds after the door is breached, encircling the bad guys and forcing them to choose who to engage first. Tranq bolts are standard issue, but we usually give the suspects a good one-two with the shields to help the medicine take effect. Both teams moved in fast and hard, the first team breached the door as our second team broke through the windows with no issues. They weren’t expecting us at all, they didn’t even have their crossbows on them. Two of them tried to charge the window team, but they didn’t have any hand to hand training, they were down easy. From door breach to cuffing the suspects it all lasted about three minutes.

Their plans were right out in the open, splayed out over their table in the kitchen. They had a map of the commercial district, marked with positions of police, popular stores, and arrows pointing where a half of the cell was going to move. Their plan overall was to strike from opposite ends of the street with the high-end stores, where the city’s richest prefer to shop. They even had a little spiel written out for when they thought they would be killed by the SAG units that would respond. *Agent Porand brings up the letter on his desk crystal*

_ We, the fighters for the liberation of the territories occupied under the rule of Sonheim, take these actions with a heavy yet resolute heart. The inaction of the ruling classes of Ceannis has forced us to take these extreme measures, to show them the true terror that our lives have become, of having your people be on the front lines of battle. Unless the Ceannic government enacts further measures to support the liberation of regions like Manborg and Elfmont, these attacks will not cease. _

_This was never released to the public?_

It would have been a declaration of war by Sonheim if we had released it then. I cleared this one with my superiors, they agree that enough time has passed and enough information is out that this letter and the others like it can be distributed into the public record. We released the information we did have, and of course CASK swooped in calling that Sonheim answer for trying to frame brave freedom fighters for these attempts.

_So at the time you felt that this was an action by Sonheim?_

Not a finer moment in my law enforcement career. Yes, we did initially believe that this was an act by the BSS to frame the resistance groups for an attack on Ceannis, and that they were bluffing about their knowledge of our support for the rebels to try and sway support away from CASK.

_What did you think when you found out the truth?_

The words “spanked-ass” come readily to mind.

**Knight-Sgt. Phacelia – Interview 49**

When Spring finally arrived, we knew that we were in for a time of it. There were fewer houses to raid, fewer fighters to contend with, our only advantage was that the Army didn’t see the rural areas as a priority compared to the urban regions.

_And you felt this was another advantage?_

Of course. First, more open space means more room to maneuver. Second, the Army never patrolled the region before with these units we were facing, meaning we were able to strike from areas they couldn’t predict. It was almost laughable the kinds of actions we were taking against them.

_Can you give some examples?_

The 22 ambush was a favorite for all of the forces. We would send sniper teams out into the countryside on Sonheim’s patrol routes, we had signals in place from the towns when their patrols went out for specific routes. It didn’t matter if they had carriages or not, thanks to the explosive traps we had laid out and the magic bolts we had for the 22s.

_Were the initial casualties heavy?_

Very. The first ones I were involved with hit a pair of carriages rolling through the western operations area for my unit. Our team had planted the explosives a few hours earlier, by the time the carriages rolled up they were already concealed and ready to strike. Now Sonheimic carriages aren’t very armored, saves money and time to produce them. They were just wood and fabric for those first strikes, and these two had two full squads inside them. The bomb detonated after the first carriage, the second was blown by the bolt on the 22. The team took video of the aftermath too, look. *Knight Phacelia brings up the images on her crystal*

*Two Sonhemic Army carriages are rolling down a quiet country lane, passing a large old tree. As the first carriage passes the tree, a massive explosion goes off. The reindeer pulling the following carriage panic. An explosion rips the second carriage apart. Figures, some aflame, fall out of the carriages. All of them are wearing Sonheimic Army uniforms. Some are aflame, others are missing limbs or bleeding heavily. One of them hops out of the carriage missing a leg. All of their expressions are placid.*

We were able to hit a good dozen more carriage patrols like this before they even thought to maybe be more cautious around the roads and lanes.

_Why was this so easy?_

Operations are hard to modify, even on a simple level. Sonheim’s officers are lazy most of the time outside the Divine Guard, and changing up patrol routes would have taken time out of their days that they could have spent enjoying the local food and romancing the local population. Even then, they never caught on to the signals. At least, at first they didn’t.

_How did the local population treat the Sonheimic Army?_

By the time Spring rolled around, they were sick of them. In the cities they knew they couldn’t risk angering the population, but in the country they swaggered like their personal lances had to be tucked into their boots. They treated the kids like vermin, and they never paid the shopkeepers for any of the food or goods they used. Worse, they weren’t afraid to use the locals for their “personal pleasure”.

_They were never reprimanded for these actions?_

Who would reprimand them? In those kinds of isolated farming regions, the closest leadership of Sonheim’s military was a good day or two away on a good day. With the Spring thaws, the best time would have been half a week. And when it comes to self-preservation, no one knows more than Sonheimic officers. They never left the towns on patrol or if they had to they only sent the junior officers that they knew wouldn’t be worth much if lost. Bastard sons and daughters of the lesser nobles who didn’t care if they came back alive or dead.

_So you would say that support for the rebel movements was higher in the countryside than the cities and towns when the Army moved in?_

Farmers weren’t shy about it anymore like they had to be with the PSB. They were outright giving us their extra food, sometimes even slaughtering and serving up fat calves or sows to celebrate when we’d killed a larger patrol. We were still suffering casualties of our own though, city and rural. That was when we learned that there was an idea to send our people out like soldiers.

_How did the funerals come about?_

Well even Sonheim gives their fallen enlisted an official state funeral when they die. A flag draped coffin with an official memorial to commemorate their services. Someone in the ELF had realized that we needed to commemorate our own people, show that the rebels were just as much a legitimate fighting force as the Sonheim Army. Each group even made their own “dress” uniforms for the funerals.

My first was for a teenager that had joined as Spring broke. Died fighting a Sonheim soldier that he’d cut the artery of. Both dead, but the kid was young, with a fiancé and a widowed mother from the PSB. Perfect material for the media. We organized a massive funeral, including a local religious minister and a crowd. The people were ten, even twenty deep around his family’s farmhouse. I was behind the crystal recording everything. A simple coffin, local wood, with the flag of Cordelia. We even had a boonie and gloves pinned to the coffin, making sure people knew who he fought with. Did you ever see that footage?

_I did._

Stars, it was beautiful. The honor guard holding the flags over the coffin, the presentation of arms, and his brothers and sisters in arms carrying him from the home to the graveyard. You know his mother hugged me? She said that she was glad her son could die for the freedom of the Cordelian people.

_When did you learn of the Ceannic reaction to the funeral?_

A few days after. Everything got the people even more fired up. His mother holding his picture next to his coffin, his sisters barely able to stand from the crying, the ceremony of the dead that he was given, and especially seeing the PFC standing watch over the funeral. Knowing this kid, in their own minds, was like their own sons and daughters serving in the military.

_And how long before you received the orders for what was next?_

Just the day after that.

_And what were your thoughts on it?_

All I could think when I read those orders were, “God, now we’re really spitting at the dragon.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Section 7 – The Equinox Revolt**

**Adm. Kelp – Interview 51**

The Equinox Revolt was originally supposed to be the final nail in the coffin that would force Sonheim to the table with the rebel groups. A coordinated strike, in all major cities and in key points in the country that would force Sonheim to face a coordinated rebel force that by this point was battle hardened, well-equipped, and ready to seize the momentum.

_Was there a need to modify the original plans?_

Of course. Only the original plans had to be modified to account for numbers. By the Spring the forces present in the rebel groups were numbering close to a few thousand per group. With the PSB a non-entity and the Sonheim Army reeling, the time was now to strike and strike hard. We slightly increased weapons shipments, put our best advisors in place in the lead up to the battle.

_Only during the lead up?_

If our people were found working with the rebels, after nearly a year of the rebels using second-hand weapons from our arsenals? That was the end, say hello to full scale war on the border and sinking more Sonheim ships that we’d know what to do about.

_What was NID telling the government?_

Our sources indicated that it was the Army’s turn in the hot seat, and they were not enjoying the situation. The generals in charge were being subjected to daily interrogations by the Sonheimic nobility, and the BSS was edging in on being given priority over the situation. The plan was that such an uprising, after such a long and protracted time of rebel activity, would convince the Sonheimic nobility that they couldn’t afford to continue suppressing so many rebellions simultaneously.

_Was this enough of a time frame to prepare?_

We felt so. The attacks would be so sudden that there would be no way to coordinate a national response. Strictly military and government targets only, seizing and holding objectives. On the longest day of Sonheim’s year, there was no chance the vampires would be able to take down the rebels before they could fortify their positions.

At least, that was the theory.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 52**

The leadership of Dark Autumn ordered three cells in my area to seize control of the area’s PSB barracks. It was old, built more like a small fortress, specifically designed to keep vampires out. Internal well below the floor, sealable windows and doors to protect against mists, and inside were Sonheim arms used by the RRTs. They’d never bothered to remodel the place.

_What were the rebel groups generally thinking about the revolt?_

Overall, optimistic. No one thought there wouldn’t be casualties, but they felt it was as good a shot as any to secure their liberty. Dark Autumn was fatalistic, but they were hopeful. The ELM was basically busy rushing from cell to cell, making sure all preparations were ready for the fight to the last detail; they’d been told from sources in their remaining homeland that their military was being readied to move in support of their fight. The Cordelians were ready to send word to their exiled families that they were back in their homeland and that they could begin to rebuild their old nation. The MLA were already printing out fliers and preparing press releases through their political arm, proclaiming a free and independent Manborg.

_No one felt these were dangerous to make?_

Not at all. In fact, we helped with a lot of it. I even learned a traditional dance to celebrate the victory. Lot of good it did me.

_Do you feel that Dark Autumn was as prepared as possible for the revolt?_

Without a doubt.

**Knight-Sgt. Phacelia – Additional Interview**

_Do you feel the Cordelian groups were as prepared as possible for the revolt?_

I still think they were prepared.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Additional Interview**

_Do you feel the MLA was as prepared as possible for the revolt?_

I know we were.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro**

_What were the duties of the advisors during the revolt?_

Recording. We’d secured press credentials with the latest weapons, live broadcasts to all available networks with corresponding signals sent to the papers. We were going to plaster the sight of brave rebels fighting for their freedom all over the news back home.

_Did you personally want to fight with them?_

No shit. These were as much my brothers as the ones in the Axe. If I were going to die, it’d be with them, but my orders told me otherwise.

_In your opinion, do you feel that the revolt was too ambitious?_

At the time, no. Looking back, I can see that our intelligence was incomplete. From where I sat, I can see why I didn’t find the problems.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 53**

I was just promoted to a brigade leader when the orders came down from the council. My orders were to secure the city’s government building. No hostages, all civilians expelled and all enemies killed if they resisted. We were to use any and all means to secure the building, including walling off a majority of the corridors to prevent vampires entering. Even when they’re mist, if you can dissipate it before they reform they won’t be able to reform for days, weeks in some cases.

I remember the night before, it was the first time I had prayed in years. It’s not something I do anymore either, really. That night, it was all I could think to do. I hadn’t prayed to the Greaters in so long…Maybe I never will again.

We marched out before the dawn, advance teams had killed any PSB and Army patrols before they could make the alert. We formed up just before the cities, flags and weapons proud and up. The people lined the streets, just watching, awed. We marched on, proud, I felt proud for the first time in my life in a long time. *Mr. Larson pauses and uses a tissue to dry his eyes.* We marched right to the building, right as the sun crested the horizon. As we took the building and threw the elves out, our leadership read out our proclamation.

*See attached video*

*A group of men standing on the staircase of a Sonheimic government building. One holds a parchment in his hands, wearing the uniform of the MLA*

_ We, the people of Manborg, in brotherhood with the people’s unjustly tortured under Sonheim’s rule, do hereby declare our nation’s independence from this unconscionable rule. Our lives have been made less than the worth of a gem under the charge of Sonheim’s nobles, living and unliving. As of this moment, we will not stand by and accept our state of servitude any longer. We, the Manborg Liberation Army, do formally retake the controls of government from your hands, and will forthwith place it back in the hands of the Manborg people. To this we pledge our lives and honors, facing any peril, until such a time as our duties are completed. _

*Additional file: “Elfmont Resistance Movement Declaration”*

_ The nation of Elfmont, long divided between the rightful rule of our own government and the despicable lordship of Sonheim’s corrupt nobility and long-dead royalty, announce our formal intent to return the separated regions of Elfmont to our mother country. In taking up the banner of the revolutionary, we strive to return to the title of citizen. Until this is accomplished, for all those living in the occupied regions, there will be no respite for any part of Sonheim’s government, no matter where they may hide in our lands. _

*Additional file: “Joint Declaration by the Cordelian People’s Front, People’s Front of Cordelia, and the Cordelian Popular People’s Front”*

_ Children of Cordelia, families long separated and parents lost to their children, we mark this day as the return of our ancestral homeland from the control of dangerous men and unfeeling monsters. Our struggle, ceaseless for centuries, will end this day with the establishment of the state of Cordelia. Take heart, children of Cordel, for your homeland is once more yours. The Dispersion has ended, and our homes will be rebuilt. The enemies will be cast out, and brought to answer for his crimes by the Almighty. We, the brothers and sisters of the Cordelian People’s Front, People’s Front of Cordelia, and the Cordelian Popular People’s Front, swear to creating a secure and safe homeland for all Cordelians. _

*Additional file: “Dark Autumn Declaration”*

_ With this declaration, the forces of Dark Autumn declare our open war on the Sonheim government and their undead masters. Until we achieve independence from their rule there will be no peace. Until our aims are realized there will be no respite. Until the day arrives that our children can freely walk the streets without fear of being snatched from the streetcorners to be used as slave labor or as feed for beasts, the men and women of Dark Autumn will continue to fight and die for these goals. _

I…I felt these all in my heart when I heard them. I caught my heart, do you understand? No, don’t answer, because you don’t. You didn’t grow up questioning if you’d live to see another day. Did you ever look at a police officer and ask yourself if today he’d fine you to the point of destitution? If you even had enough money to pay the fine to escape the jails? You know nothing dammit! These were men, these were the women who built our futures! Do you…do you know how many were my friends?

_I’ll show myself out._

**Interview resumed approx. 20 hours later.**

After the declarations, we set to fortifying the position, walling up doors and windows as best we could. We caulked the edges, sealed everything up that we needed to be. Even weatherproofed, we didn’t want to risk the chance that the vampires had made their lessers include such ways in.

We fortified the positions relatively quickly, there was only fighting off the odd PSB or Army foot patrol that tried to stop us. We’d littered the streets behind us with explosives, planted traps all over the approaches. Sonheim wasn’t going to destroy a building like that. We even made sure to gather as much as we could for our advisors. We knew that every piece of intelligence would be used. We sent back financial transactions, industry and labor reports, crop production quotas, everything we could possible send back. Once it was done, we burned it all. We smashed their crystals, tore up their documents. *Mr. Larson brings up a video*

*Several flags of Sonheim, being hung out an upper balcony, being set aflame by members of the MLA. Scattered cheering is heard from within and outside the building. Three Sonheim soldiers are also thrown over the balcony over the burning flags. The cheering intensifies*

*Additional file: “Collection of Equinox Rising media*

*Footage of several ERM fighters dragging several Sonheimic government ministers our of an office, tearing off their jewels and crystals. By the time the ministers are thrown out the doors of the building, they are stripped naked and thrown to a waiting crowd.*

*Dark Autumn members carrying several high-ranking PSB officers out of a PSB building. The men are struggling to escape their bonds. The officers are forced to kneel in front of a crowd of hundreds.*

Dark Autumn Rebel: Are these the men who killed your loved ones! *Crowd cheers* Are these the men who taxed you to destitution! *Crowd cheers* What should we do about them!

Crowd: NO MERCY! NO MERCY! NO MERCY!

*Dark Autumn leader takes a massive blade from his side. Methodically, he beheads the officers one at a time. The last officer is weeping, begging for life.*

PSB Officer: Please, please, I’m sorry! We were ordered to do these things, we’re just as enslaved as you all, please! My family, just let me go back to my fam- *Officer is beheaded. Crowd cheers*

*Footage of MLA forces stealing weapons from dead Sonheim soldiers. Several have their heads cut off by hatchets*

MLA Rebel: Cut their heads off, make sure they aren’t getting up!

*CPF fighters seizing an Army barracks. Footage shows several fighters breaking down a door into a bedroom. An elderly man and a young man are inside; the young man is bound with rope on the floor with a collar with severe bruising undressed. The older man is pulled out of his bed by the fighters*

Young Man: Thank you, oh God, thank you! Please, he tried to-

Old Man: *In Sonheimic* What is this, get your hands off me you bastards, do you know who- *Fighter beats the old man’s face*

*Old man is dragged outside his room through the facility. Multiple bodies of soldiers are seen around the barracks.*

Old Man: You…I’ll pay anything you want, I’ll write you all pardons! You’ll need me, I can give you the leverage you need to free your land and people! If you kill me you’ll only-

*Footage shows the barracks courtyard. A large pyre has been made. Multiple CPF fighters are throwing the bodies of multiple soldiers atop it.*

CPF Fighter: Bind him.

*Footage shows the gentleman being bound and gagged. CPF fighters carry him to the fire. Multiple voices are chanting; “Roast the pig! Roast the pig!”. Old Man is thrown into the pyre. Fighters cheer. Seconds into the fire the man’s gag comes loose, screams become audible. Fighters begin to cheer louder*

Have you ever seen what revenge looks like?

_I…I think I just did._

You think you have.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 54**

We caught it all, broadcast it right back home. Every network was broadcasting it. I heard later that there were celebrations in the streets, entire neighborhoods of people singing and cheering what had happened as we broadcast. They even cheered when they saw the footage of Dark Autumn dragging out a local governor to tar and feather. Fat bastard too, liked to sell kiddies to the vampires. *Saguaro raises his glass* Couldn’t have happened to a nicer fucker.

_What was the initial response by the Sonheimic government to the revolt?_

They were headless. As soon as those buildings were taken their entire apparatus of state collapsed. We, meanwhile, documented everything. I watched as the men and women I trained executed a perfect urban combat operation, no casualties, as Sonheim’s Army and police struggled to even mount a response. *Saguaro slams on the table* Those fucking bastards did it, Goddammit! They won that fight, they turned those buildings into morgues! Dead snow queens everywhere, exactly what we needed to be done. All the years State sat on it’s ass doing nothing, all the time Prophecy fucking waited for the spirits to tell them what to do, we did it. We hurt Sonheim in a way that no one could have ever even dreamed ten years ago.

_But no one expected the civilian actions during the chaos?_

Well, no, of course not. We’d been doing so much fighting that we never expected the civilians to…to do what they did.

_I…I do need this. For the record._

Of course you do. After the buildings were seized and the PSB and Army taken care of, the rebel forces were too busy fortifying their positions to realize what was happening outside. In my city, well, it started small at first. Civilians crying out freedom, marching through the streets, and then they got to the primarily Sonheimic neighborhoods…I need a drink.

*Two minute pause*

We heard a report from another team of advisors, there was some kind of looting happening in the upscale district. Well we patch into their feed, and we’re seeing civilians beating down doors, lighting torches. They were breaking into the mansions and apartments, they were…they were throwing out the people inside, beating them senseless.

_You never expected this?_

Only the rebels had ever done any fighting. No civilians had ever felt like they could do anything without coming to us, but with the barracks and the Army out of commission…We lit a powder keg.

**Mr. Muscade – Interview 55**

I first learned of the revolt when I was having a morning meeting with the president. We were going over a diplomatic delegation to the U.I. when one of her aides rushed in urging her to tune her crystal to the news.

_What was your initial reaction?_

Horror. Pure, unadulterated horror. I was watching as Sonheimic government offices were destroyed and their officials beaten by terrorists.

 _Several groups maintain_ -

I don’t care what they “maintain”! Those men committed dangerous acts, acts that could have launched this country into war! A war that we would have started because our military couldn’t keep it’s grubby, blood-soaked hands to itself!

_Mr. Muscade-_

You’re right, this isn’t very professional of me, but I will let this out once and for all. I _despise_ Silverthorn, I despise the man. All his career was built up on going to war, on getting revenge! Ever since he was placed on Northern command all he wanted was to finally get revenge on Sonheim for what happened when the vampires attacked his patrols. There was _no_ true strategic purpose to these actions, Kelp and Redwood only served as his lapdogs because they wanted more stake in how the nation is run. Blackthorn was using this as an excuse to line his pockets, there was no reason for any of it. It was all just an excuse for Defense and the NDI to sway the government away from the things it needed to do to ensure our national security. Now get out.

_But I-_

I said get out, do I have to use my abilities to emphasize the point?

**Mr. Blackthorn – Interview 56**

I understand Muscade gave you an earful.

_How-_

You need to ask?

_Yes. He mentioned a good number of accusations against yourself._

Let me guess, “Private war”, “lining my pockets”, “sway the nation”? He was saying those things back during the revolts too. The man was suffering from a severe case of political impotency, and it was showing that day. Romarin kicked him out of the office, sent him to the State department offices to send out a communique to Sonheim on the matter. We were the ones called in to handle the situation because we were the ones who knew what needed to be done.

_What did Pres. Romarin want done about the matter?_

She was all business then. She was ordering Northern Force to stand ready for possible action, that the First and Forth fleets put all available ships to sea, and that all commands remain on standby for further orders. She ordered the NPA to start monitoring all communications moving for Sonheim, as many as they could handle. Police departments across the country were ordered to start observing the ‘celebrations’ but to not move unless there was threat of harm to others. Do you understand what we’re dealing with? This was a woman who okayed everything, who knew what the risks were, and now that the penultimate act of the play was being performed was making sure that her own house was in order.

_What was the NDI ordered to do?_

Same as a NPA, document all communications. The world was watching Sonheim, and we knew that the reviews were going to come in fast for the show.

_When did you see the first footage of the civilians rioting?_

Not long after we saw the government buildings being seized. We had expected some amount of civil unrest, we weren’t stupid. We just, well we didn’t expect the level we were seeing. What had Sonheim done to these people for so long that this was their first act on being freed from their tyranny. Still, this wasn’t the military problem, and for the first day Sonheim was lost, they had no idea what to do. They had to pull in forces from across their empire to make up for the manpower loses that day.

The third day was when the Army tried to mount a response, but overall it was a pathetic one. They tried to organize assaults on the positions, but the coordination between the rebel holdouts was too strong, the planning was too good. They tried to settle in for a siege, but that was when we had our first solid hit. Communications between the king and the military indicated that he wouldn’t stand for rebels in his regions. He wanted this shut down, yesterday. So on day four, the military mounted a larger assault. Several smaller rebel positions were lost, but the rebels that escaped managed to either go underground or reach stronger positions with additional intelligence. We thought they had a chance, until…

_Until the order._

“All vampires are hereby ordered by their king to stop the rebellion in the provinces. Their rewards will be of their choosing.”

**Knight-Sgt. Phacelia – Interview 57**

By the fifth day of the Equinox Revolt, our hopes were high. We thought that it was going to happen. Elfmont’s defense force had already crossed the border and was securing towns thanks to the lack of Sonheimic presence. A “safe-zone” had been created around several Cordelian cities, it reached the Doyon border and secured a route for the exiles to return. Dark Autumn had seized several major cities and was busy trying to create a new government. The MLA’s political arm was already pursuing a political body, trying to appoint ministers and leaders to return order once the fighting was over.

_When did you learn the vampires were being sent in?_

A general alert was sent by code to all embedded advisors. “Dark Rain.” That was our order to have our press credentials visible at all times and hold our cover at all cost. You’ll also note, for the official record, that I have two full bottles of Sonheim’s “finest” vodka ready for this one.

_When did the vampires make their assault?_

The fifth night. We were following a PSB team when the officers held in place. We found out later that this was their superior being ordered to keep them away from what was about to happen.

We were in front of a regional government office, heavily fortified by the CPPF with dozens of dead soldiers around it. Sonheim hadn’t wanted to risk their competent soldiers on the assaults, they could only afford to send in their cannon fodder. Well we saw three carriages rolling up, black with dark cloaked riders. As the sun finally dropped, we finally saw…them. I’d heard stories about Stanczia and Imri. Seeing them in person, with four other vampires behind them? Do you know what it feels like to be around a vampire? It’s a wrongness. They aren’t human, not anymore. They’re wild animals in human suits pretending to be like us, knowing they can never be us. I’ve seen combat, seen men and women speared and sliced and even torn in half, but nothing turned my stomach more than watching these things just stand there in the shadows, waiting for the sun to fully set.

Stanczia turned to me, and she was smiling at us. “Be sure to get our good sides, do you understand? I’ll not be broadcast if I’m not looking at my best.” God, I wanted to slaughter her then and there. I’m still jealous I couldn’t be the one to do it. The crossbow bolts started to fly from the building, but as the PSB ducked down the vampires just stood there. I saw the bolts slam home, strike them in the chest and legs and arms. It did nothing. They didn’t cry out in pain, didn’t even flinch. They just got annoyed. “Ugh, peasants! Don’t they realize how much these cost?” Thank God, the unit inside that building had a 16 inside. When that thing hit one of the other vampires with an explosive bolt? *Phacelia laughed* I had to stop myself from cheering. But, in the end, it only made them mad. Once the sun was down, they…*Phacelia pulls up the video on her crystal*

*A group of PSB officers are fleeing from the scene as five vampires stare at an empty place in the street. Their eyes turn red as they turn to face a fortified Sonheimic building.*

Imri: Friends, would you please show these insects what happens when they disrespect their betters in such a fashion?

*Three of the vampires appear to vanish from the video; the front door of the building collapses and screaming is heard inside. Two more explosions sound inside. Inhuman howls sound from inside.*

Stanczia: Oh, I do believe the dinner for the night thinks it can fight us.

Imri: Shall we disabuse them of such a foolish notion my love?

Stanczia: I love it when you tempt me.

*Both vampires vanish from the footage; at least a dozen members of the CPPF are thrown out of the building. Stanczia and Imri walk outside seconds later; Stanczia is licking blood off her hands.*

Imri: Now, why don’t you all tell us why you had to ruin such a lovely week with this behavior? *CPPF fighter spits in Imri’s face. Imri wipes it away.* I’ll save you for last. The rest of you?

CPPF Fighter: Just kill us already monster! You know you’ll not let us live!

Stanczia: And deny ourselves-

CPPF Fighters: LEECHES! LEECHES! LEECHES! LEECHES! *The vampires are visibly shaken by this.*

First CPPF Fighter: You know what this means whore! We’re not afraid anymore! We’re going to fight until all of our lands are freed! The vampires are finished! You’ll be nothing but compost for our gardens! You’re all at your ends! Fuck you-

Imri: *Rips the head off the CPPF fighter* Do not talk to my wife like that. You, news crew! Get all of this! *Stanczia proceeds to rip a CPPF fighter’s limbs off one by one. The fighters continue to chant “Leeches”.* Shut up! *Imri rips a fighter’s small intestines out from their stomach; fighters continue to chant; vampires become visibly more agitated* Why won’t you shut up! *Stanczia and Imri rip a fighter in half; last two fighters continue to chant* SHUT UP YOU WORTHLESS BLOOD SACKS! *Imri rips a fighters shirt open, revealing it is a woman; he rips her breasts off; remaining fighter continues to chant* WHY WON’T YOU SHUT UP! *Remaining fighter is lifted up by their neck* WHY!

CPPF Fighter: *Fighter manages to force himself to grin* Because…leech…we aren’t…aren’t afraid anymore…

Stanczia: *Walks forward* Together, my love?

Imri: Gladly. *Both vampires tear the fighter’s penis off; proceed to use their mouths to rip out all organs; finish by tearing off the fighter’s head. Stanczia holds up the head to the camera* Behold, the fate of the rebels.

Phacelia: *Has already had two glasses of vodka* I knew them. I’d met them on operations with my unit. The woman was going to get engaged. Two of them were brothers, they’d joined together to avenge their parents. The last one, he was fighting because the PSB had killed his mother because she’d fought back when they tried to have their way with her. So the next time you hear someone tell you a vampire is “just misunderstood”, or that Sonheim is, “culturally different”? You show them all that footage. All of it. Then you slug them in the jaw. I did.

_You…you did?_

I haven’t been able to hold a lot of jobs lately.

**Media Section 1 – The Equinox Uprising**

“This is a special report live from Sonheim, live with a news team following fighting involving the group ‘Dark August’, in what is being called the Equinox Uprising. Viewers are warned, the footage is disturbing, we highly recommend that children be taken out of the room and that those with weak constitutions refrain from viewing this report.”

*Scene cuts to a street in Manborg; fighters are running down the street; several are trying to herd a group of civilians away as others lay down covering fire*

“It appears that we’re looking at a scene in Manborg, those look like MLA soldiers there, we have no context for what’s happening however, and OH MY GOD!”

*A vampire leaps on an MLA fighter; the man has his leg ripped off and is beaten with it. The vampire then rips the femur out of the leg and stabs it through the man’s heart. The vampire is riddled with bolts. MLA fighters begin chanting “Leech”. Vampire becomes visibly enraged; rushes two MLA fighters; reaches into the stomach of one, starts stuffing the mouth of the other with intestines*

“Cut to commercial, cut to commercial!”

******************

*Footage of several ELF members running down a street*

ELF Fighter: Faster, they’re two streets over!

*Sound of a window breaking; fighters turn to see a vampire standing in the street with two young children in it’s hands*

Vampire: They’re who you’re fighting for, right? *Vampire rips the children’s throats out* Well, no more reason to fight is there?

*Fighters riddle vampire with bolts; vampire is struck in the heart by several bolts, disintegrates. Fighters start to cheer. An inhuman scream sounds; the gem holder falls; gems falls to reveal the fighter being ripped to multiple pieces by another vampire*

******************

*Scenes focused on the face of a CPF member*

CPF Fighter: To whoever sees this broadcast, this is Third Company, Fifth Battalion, we are currently under cover but need orders! Our leadership is dead, we are cut off from the rally point, we are dangerously low on bolts and explosives-

Offscreen Fighter: They’re attacking the civilians!

CPF Fighter: We need immediate orders, they’re killing civilians, they’re slaughtering everyone-

Offscreen Fighter: No, no, they’ve got children! No, no! *Sound of a door opening; gem is moved; fighters shown running outside to see vampires holding a mother down and forcing her mouth open as they pour a child’s blood into her mouth. The vampires are laughing*

******************

“The nation of Doyon is offering unconditional entry to all those fleeing the events in Manborg, and promise that any attempt to pursue by Sonheimic citizens or officials, living or dead, will be considered an act of war.”

******************

“I told you, over and over, that this was how it would happen! The vampires would be let loose, and the people under Sonheim’s oppression would be killed for trying to stand up. When is the Romarin administration going to finally do something about this?”

******************

“Fighting broke out in Peacockton between members of the Cordelian expatriate community and several Sonheimic expatriates. The fighting allegedly began when the Sonheimic individuals called the Cordelians, ‘Dirty Cords’.”

******************

“The Romarin administration formally condemns these actions taken by the Sonheimic government in trying to end this revolt. I have spoken with the leaders of the Senate and the Supreme Court, and have agreed that an emergency vote is to be held. The leaders of the Senate will be voting on a bill immediately that freezes all Sonheimic assets, both those held by the government of Sonheim and those of the vampires. Furthermore, all vampire assets, whether in property or in monetary wealth, are hereby seized by the Ceannic government until such a time as it is determined if these assets directly contributed to the heinous actions committed this night. Our hearts and prayers are with the peoples of the North.”

**Mrs. Persil – Interview 58**

When I saw that footage, at least what I could see, it was nearly exactly like what the spirits predicted. It was just so accurate, so exact. I knew that I had failed to warn the president as minister of prophecy, and people were dead because of it.

_Was this what led to the decisions by yourself and Minister Muscade to commit to what you did next?_

Of course.


	8. Chapter 8

**Section 8 – The Walls Shatter**

**Mr. Macaster – Interview 59**

The vampire attacks turned public opinion fully against Sonheim, the ethnic enclaves in Ceannis were in an uproar. Money was flooding CASK and their affiliates, and I was picked to attend Thorn’s press conference that day.

_This was what people referred to as, “The Estragon Explosion”._

Couldn’t have named it better. Press pool was packed, all the major networks and papers were there along with the independent signals and rags. Here, this is my own transcript of the presser.

*****

Thorn Estragon: Good morning, this is the daily press briefing for the Ceannic press on the incidents involving the Sonheimic territories currently engaged in rebellion against the Sonheimic Kingdom.

*****

That, right there, was our first cue. He’d never said they were in rebellion before, it was always that there were rebel groups in the territories, and that they were still Sonheimic lands. And see what he’s wearing on his uniform? It’s a spring lily.

_But he was only implying at this point._

Not the lily. It’d become the symbol of the rebel groups, and wearing it on his uniform went against all military uniform regulations. Watch, it gets better.

*****

TE: Yesterday, at 1916 hours, the government of Sonheim allowed hundreds of vampires to attack and kill without hesitation anyone they were allowed in order to crush an attempted series of rebellions in their occupied territories. The official count of the dead stands at two hundred fifty-seven rebels killed, over six hundred captured. More realistic estimates place the dead at over seven hundred rebels killed in action, twelve thousand civilians killed or wounded by vampiric action completely unrelated to the rebel actions. We can also confirm in contradiction of the Sonheimic reports a total of thirty-one dead vampires in addition to the public casualty figures for the Sonheimic PSB and military.

*****

_What was the reaction of the press when Sir Estragon made these pronouncements?_

Shock, I mean we were all still working but we were just in shock. I mean this is a knight, he’s not supposed to be doing this kind of stuff when it comes to press briefings. Everyone in that room just looked at each other, we’re all thinking the same thing, “Is he for real right now?” I mean, it’s one thing for him to read of the facts flat and plain, but he wasn’t even bothering to disguise how he was feeling. He was risking an international incident just because of what happened to people he didn’t even know.

_You felt he was focusing on the wrong things after the attack?_

It happens in news. It’s like the seventeenth supreme commander of the Beal guards said. “One is a tragedy. A million is a statistic.” The reality is that even if the vampires had just attacked the rebels and civilians, in the next few weeks the general population would move on. Meanwhile, Thorn acting like this as an official spokesperson for the government was only going to antagonize Sonheim more. He had let his emotions go fully out of control.

_Surely there was a reason._

Oh, yeah, there was a reason. Little birdy got this to me. *Mr. Macaster brings up a video on his crystal*

*Image of Thorn and Leif at the embassy gates. Leif appears to be in distress. Thorn and Leif speak. Leif becomes animated. Thorn attempts to calm Leif. Leif pushes Thorn away, runs back into embassy grounds. Thorn left at the guard post. Sir Birch Baker shakes his head and speaks to Thorn. Thorn points back at Birch and appears to issue an order.*

This source couldn’t get any good audio, but they said that the gist of things was that Leif was in a fit, couldn’t believe that anyone would ever rebel against Sonheim. Thorn tried to comfort him, claimed that it was just temporary, and that maybe they could be ruled better without Sonheim or vampires. Leif, well he didn’t take that so well. He said that Thorn still didn’t understand his “beloved Sonheim”.

_This source was anonymous?_

Never even left an address for the check. Once I published that in addition to the press conference, the floodgates were open. *Uses crystal to bring up several headlines*

*SIR THORN ESTRAGON RAILS AGAINST SONHEIM: Hero Knight Unleashes On Sonheimic Government*

*ESTRAGON CALLS OUT SONHEIM KILLINGS: Dragonslayer Levels Heartsword At Undead*

*DO YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR MANHOOD LIKE A DRAGON’S-*

Whoops! Sorry, still have to update my junk filters.

 _*Clears throat*_ _What were the reactions from the public to this conference?_

All over the map. Expatriates from the territories were basically cheering it on as the last step before Ceannis was going to officially step in to support their homelands. I mean, we’re talking about people in some cases who had never even been to these places, calling out for their freedoms like they were straight from these regions. The actual expatriates weren’t exactly lacking in that kind of “enthusiasm” either, and they were showing it. There were massive protests at consulates across the country, and the biggest was right smack dab in front of the embassy at the capitol.

_What about among Ceannic citizens?_

Pretty split. Some of the population were screaming that Thorn was right to talk in such a way, but way more were saying that a knight shouldn’t be talking so openly about such a matter. It was a definite downturn from before when practically the entire nation was behind the rebel groups and CASK>

_And the Sonheimic expatriates?_

Incensed mostly. A few were calling out that it was the absolute right thing to do in the face of Sonheim unleashing the vampires, but the majority were threatening to wreck the Ceannic economy. Banking concerns, trade conglomerates, even restaurant franchises. All of them threatened to pull out of the Ceannic markets. It wasn’t enough to wreck speculation, but a lot of investors were spooked.

_What were your thoughts personally?_

Personally? I was glad Estragon was speaking out. As a reporter, I just spread the word.

*PRESS CONFERENCE CONTROVERSY: Estragon Eschews Government Script For Personal Feelings*

**Special Agent Porand – Interview 60**

After the press conference with Estragon, we were looking at each other like things had gone upside down. Still, the investigation was relatively stalled. We had nothing to connect this company with anything illegal, CASK was always above board, and I was still on a dead-end hunt for organized crime smuggling.

_Until the leaks._

Until the leaks. The first one landed right on my desk with the daily mail delivery. I was about to go through another round of recordings from the local stakeouts when I get a letter, anonymous, telling me that I should look into the family of the victim of the original hit and run.

_His family?_

That’s what I thought. Now, remember, we get thousands of letters and calls a day dealing with tips that will supposedly break a case “wide open” according to some of these people. Most are armchair detectives who aren’t even trying to think with the evidence. Some are just lonely old folks who want some attention. This was different, you could tell just by the wording. It was all business, no messing around with trying to seem intelligent or important. Just straight to the point, “Look into the family”.

_What did you find?_

Well, we had to do a little digging, but we found out that the victim’s family was perfectly law-abiding. It’s _who_ they were. It turns out they came from a family of refugees from the steppes, former members of the Wekun who left their specific band after a Ceannic military action wiped out a village oasis they used to trade with other bands and tribes. They’d been living in country for nearly thirty years, and their son had been involved in several protests against how Ceannis deals with the tribes.

_Was this significant at the time?_

It did get a thought percolating in my head, it didn’t make sense at the time but after a day or two I dug a little deeper into the kid’s background. Turns out, he’d made some very interesting friends among the Sonheimic expatriate community.

_Sonheimic agents?_

In not so many words? Exactly.

_So at the time, you thought the murder was related to Sonheim?_

Nah, not then. It didn’t make sense for them to kill an asset of theirs, not before a major incident like this. I had to try and get into their mindset, and every avenue made no sense. So, I tried to think like another nation; Beal, Doyon, hell even Tamapoa. None of it worked. Least of all Tamapoa, I mean there was nothing even remotely technological or engineering related involved in this. That’s when it hit me, and in the worst possible way.

_How so?_

I thought of every nation on the planet. Except one. My own. I had no evidence, but I knew that if this was real, all I had to do was file a report. I was sure my source was involved now, and that report would find a way to reach them. It was only time now.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro – Interview 61**

It was bad when we took stock of things. Nearly three-quarters of Dark Autumn were dead or captured, and the numbers were about the same across all the other rebel groups. Cordelia’s groups were decimated, and Manborg had been gutted. Some cases it was literal.

_Did the rebels blame Ceannis for this?_

They weren’t happy. They said that we should’ve done more, that we needed to have warned them, brought in the monster hunters. We couldn’t argue, I mean how the hell could we? *Saguaro starts pacing the room* I mean dammit, we were handcuffed. If we had tried to fight with them and the vampires hit us we would’ve basically made an act of war. It was like everything we’d done, all the effort we’d put it, gone, vanished. Suddenly we weren’t trying to help them, we’d been setting them up to fail. Worse, since the majority of us were Sonheimic descendants, there was that to deal with.

_They blamed your heritage instead?_

The great irony. I spent my life trying to get away from even being remotely associated with Sonheim, and suddenly my entire existence was that I was a snow queen. Not the best way to leave a country.

_This was when the advisors were pulled out of the territories?_

We learned when we got back plans were already in motion. Doyon was accepting refugees, and the Cordelians were up in arms to the point where Sonheim wasn’t even sending troops into the region anymore, just the borders. Elfmont was pressuring Sonheim to allow the reintegration of their occupied territories. But Dark Autumn…

_None of their goals were recognized or accomplished._

God, those fucking snow queens. I mean fuck, do you know how many of those fucks were taken out by those fighters? The casualties were higher than from any other group, we gutted Sonheim’s forces in our areas of operation! We gave our lives, and we were just thrown out like garbage. Like it was all useless.

_What happened to the rebel groups before you left then?_

The rebels were planning new methods to fight. You’ve seen what they developed. This interview’s over.

**Adm. Kelp – Interview 62**

After the Equinox Rising, the fact was that we had to start drawing down the operations. We started pulling our advisors out, pulling back on the arms shipments, it was clear Sonheim wasn’t going to buckle like we hoped it would on the territories.

_But they had still shifted their policies?_

Oh, certainly. In the days following Manborg’s population had announced that they were going to separate through force if they had to. Elfmont’s government had announced they were going to reunify with their occupied territories, and that no one was going to tell them otherwise. Cordelia’s factions had made it clear that they were reforming the Cordelian nation, by whatever means were available.

_And Dark Autumn?_

Dark Autumn were the only group who hadn’t achieved their goals. Instead of regaining their nation they were being even more harshly repressed. Worse, the BSS, they’d been unleashed into all areas that were still under what could be considered Sonheimic post-uprising.

_What were the BSS doing to the people where the rebels were operating?_

The FSB operate under the belief that if the people are in danger of being “anti-citizens”, they have forfeited all rights to the protections of Sonheimic law. They’re basically fair game for anything the BSS can think up. And they have a very active imagination.

_How do you mean?_

*Adm. Kelp gets up and walks to a picnic table nearby* The BSS starts small. They implement policies discriminating against non-Sonheimic peoples. Prices for flour and bread started to rise, incrementally at first. Families began to send stories to loved ones in Ceannis that they couldn’t afford bread or heating fuel. At first, honestly, our intelligence chalked it up to a bit of petty vengeance on their part. Until they reformed the pro-Sonheim militias.

_What was their public reasoning for this?_

Officially? The BSS said that the PSB and Army were ineffective, and that the vampire lords couldn’t be everywhere at once. The militias were reformed to ensure that peace and stability could once again be brought to all Sonheimic territories. *Kelp gently punches the table* All a ruse. They wanted thugs, a bunch of bastards with weapons they could play and throw at their problems. They gave them their own uniforms, official titles, made them feel special. Pretend soldiers fighting a real war.

_These were the Purgings._

*Kelp sits at the table, buries his head in his hands* The neighborhoods that weren’t majority Sonheimic were “patrolled” by the militias. “Patrols”. It was state-authorized assault. Damn bastards would march in and do whatever they could to make the people feel afraid in their own homes. They’d break up markets, destroy property, beat people in the streets. They’d do it in full view of the PSB and the so-called authorities wouldn’t do a thing.

_But the rebel groups would still make small strikes._

Which is why they continued to operate like they did. They turned up the beatings, forced early market closures, outright stole from shops. Then the BSS decided they weren’t going far enough.

_Far enough?_

People started disappearing. “The Vanished”. Mothers. Children. Couples. Eventually entire families just went missing. We had our ideas on where they were going, theories on what they’d been taken for and where to…The rebels still didn’t break. They kept striking at Sonheim, kept fighting back. More mortar attacks, more fighting, then…

_The bombing of Gershatok._

The bombing of Gershatok.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich – Interview 63**

The Gershatok strike was my last major action as chief of combat operations. Everyone in my brigade knew it, and accepted it. The BSS and PSB were closing in on me, and the Army was squeezing the life out of my neighborhood to force me into a mistake. Gershatok was going to be my masterwork.

_What was the objective of Gershatok?_

To strike Sonheim were they could be hurt. To finally show them what we were living in their “territories”. If they wouldn’t free Manborg, we would show them what life was like inside it. Getting across the borders was actually easy, no one expected the rebels to move _into_ Sonheim. That, and bribing the guards was laughable. Anything for money, and money for anything.

The plan was that we would strike the government offices in Gershatok city center. It was the site where several regions had been placed under Sonheim’s control via “treaty”, it was where we would hit them. We organized everything, planned everything just like the previous attacks. The elves were going to suffer for this one. The morning of the attack, everything was set. The bombs would detonate just as the maximum amount of people would be inside the building.

_You didn’t expect what happened?_

Of course not. We’re from Manborg. Only the elves think that such an attack could possibly be a good thing.

* **Media Section 2 – Bombing of Gershatok***

*Home crystal footage of a group of middle-school children on a tram through Gershatok. Children are having several conversations at once about their “boring field trip”.

**************

*Security crystal footage from inside the government office. The security and front desks are surrounded by staff and officials entering for the day.*

**************

*Home crystal footage; the children are walking with the crowd into the building. A Sonheimic government servant waits at the front door to greet them. The children follow the servant inside the building, still excitedly talking. As the majority of students enter the building, there is a sudden blast and the feed goes to static*

***************

*Security crystal footage; the children are shown walking to the front desk. A blast erupts from several trash cans and from beneath the front desk. Shrapnel and pieces of the desk go flying. Sonheimic officials, staff, students become obscured by the dust*

***************

**This is Channel 15 News, with a breaking report.**

“This is Channel 15, we have breaking news out of the Sonheimic city of Gershatok, an explosion at the central government offices has just been reported, casualties and cause are unknown at this time. We’re going to our Sonheimic affiliate on the scene, Gertrude what’s happening up there?”

*Feed cuts to a female Sonheimic reporter standing in front of a cordon of PSB officers; the Gershatok government building is still smoking behind her. Firefighters are trying to put out the fire as ambulance carriages stand ready for casualties*

“ _Fern, this is a terrible sight, we are currently trying to piece together what has happened. At the present time we have no way of knowing how many were wounded in this explosion, but initial speculation is that this was some kind of deliberate action and-*_

*Feed zooms in on the front steps, multiple stretchers are coming out of the building covered with blankets. One stretcher falls, revealing a child in a school uniform*

“ _Wait, Fern, are you seeing this? That is a child from a local middle school. Yes, yes, I recognize the uniform-_ *

*A PSB officer appears in the frame; feed goes black*

***************

“Doyon condems in the strongest possible terms this attack. We are still welcoming refugees, but as of this time trade across the border will be increasingly regulated.”

***************

“Well suddenly Sonheim is attacked, and we’re all sorry for them? Where was this sympathy for the territories when they were being overrun with vampires? Caller, you’re on with Amande.”

“ _Fuck you Amande, there were children in this attack, and you’re saying-_ “

“Yes, thank you, next caller.”

“ _How could you act like this, those were innocent children?_ ”

“Oh this is going to be a long show.”

***************

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich**

We’d never had any idea there would be a damned field trip that day. I mean how do you plan for a field trip on a bombing? I was cheering, I was celebrating, and then that stretcher fell and…

_How did your team react?_

They were, they were just as shocked. We didn’t waste time, we packed and got moving. God, what a journey. We didn’t dare take carriages or trains, airships would just be ridiculous. We had to move by foot, and through vampire territories at that on the tail-end of Spring. One of my men lost toes to frostbite by the time we got back to Manborg. Well by that point, the entire world was turning against us, against the rebels, and I…

_Sir?_

I…I need to stop for today.

*Sound of sobbing before recording ends*

**Gen. Silverthorn – Interview 64**

Gershatok. Gershatok hurt the rebels, but then they’d already suffered a setback after the rising. No, what did them in was the fact that their needs were being recognized over the following weeks. Manborg had been raising so much hell that Sonheim had been forced to recognize the nation again. Only the bastards claimed that they would still retain control of the “Sonheim-majority” north. The Sonheimic nobility knew it wasn’t Sonheimic, not by any estimation. As for Cordelia and Elfmont had their lands again, but…

_Dark Autumn still hadn’t regained their homelands._

Dark Autumn. They were trained and advised mostly by the Axe. If we’d known then what we’d inspired them to do, we would have sent someone else to advise. It was just after the bombing in Gershatok, we’d thought that the rebels were just quiet. That they’d realized they’d made too far a reach and were pulling back. I was busy at my office, making sure that we were still cleaning up our operations, when the reports came in, another bombing in Dark Autumn’s territories. It didn’t strike me as unusual at the time, nothing too major, but then the details arrived. A crowded market, mixed of Sonheimic and locals. No government or military targets anywhere nearby. That was when the rest of the reports crossed my desk.

_The first suicide bombing._

“Suicide bombing.” It isn’t suicide, it’s still murder. Apparently Dark Autumn had decided that they could no longer simply strike military or government targets, not when they were essentially becoming hardened to attack. No, it seems that the Gershatok bombing had inspired the Dark Autumn rebels to attack “soft targets” in their territories. Markets, carriages, transit hubs. Places that the PSB and Army couldn’t guard properly because it would cripple Sonheim’s economy. Given how destitute the area was becoming at that point thanks to the FSB, it was simple to find desperate young men and women to carry the explosives.

_How did you react once you realized that the bombings were not an isolated incident?_

I had my staff run the numbers on how many suicide bombings Dark August could carry out with the explosives we had given them. Estimating by the size of the blasts and casualties inflicted compared to the weapons we had shipped to them we believed that at best, after the first dozen bombings, we estimated they had at best eight to nine more attacks.

_When they passed that number?_

We realized that something was wrong. By the fifteenth suicide bombing we knew that there was something wrong, that they were still getting explosives. It was not supposed to be possible, but there we were the day of the twenty-fifth suicide attack, trying to figure out just how they were still getting bomb materials. We had to face the realization that we were no longer the only people the rebels were supplying with materiel. I immediately went to Adm. Kelp, Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood, and Mr. Blackleaf.

_What was their reaction?_

Shock, bewilderment, we got the same reactions from the rest of the knightly orders as well. We were supposed to have complete control of the situation, and there we were, trying to piece together every step of the route that took our weapons from Peacockton to the Doyon border. Coupled with Sir Estragon’s frank speaking during the press conference after the Rising, and we were suddenly associated with subtly supporting terrorists and murders of children. We had to cease using him as our official spokesperson.

_But the public perception of the rebels was still not changing?_

Hardly at all. Northern Force was still on alert status, but we had to start drawing down forces when the newspapers reported that Sonheimic forces were being drawn down along the border. To the public, we looked the aggressive force.

_Did you argue against this?_

The president didn’t want to hear other lines of thought. “We’ve got a nightmare on our hands that you gave us.”

_She blamed you?_

She blamed herself for letting us proceed with the plan. The chain of command doesn’t allow the superior to blame themselves for a plan put forward by a subordinate rank. I accepted the responsibility for what was happening.

_Even though it was all out of your hands?_

It was my plan and operation. It was my failure to ensure that the operational plans would be carried out. I accepted the blame.

_The official records at the Romarin library state that you violently argued these points._

Official files can be modified.

_But-_

I have things to take care of here.

**Mr. Blackleaf – Interview 65**

The fact that Dark Autumn was still carrying out attacks, especially with explosives they weren’t supposed to have? It was a dangerous wake-up for us. It told us that we weren’t their only game in town anymore. So, we had to do what was necessary.

_The dismantling of the arms shipping routes._

Everything needed to be taken down. The pirate captains we’d bribed, the shipping crews that we’d hired on, the companies we’d contracted via proxy.

_This was when the NDI utilized their own operators and the Knife._

It needed to be done. If any trace of our involvement had been found by Sonheim it would have meant war. The only solution was to drop everything and burn the trail. We swapped out our teams in Doyon and from the coasts. We neutralized the pirate captains we’d had to bribe along with their crews, set the First and Fourth against them. We retrieved the corporate records from the companies we’d used, even ensured that the shipping crews couldn’t explain what they’d seen.

_What were your thoughts as this was happening?_

The operation had honestly accomplished their objectives, in a roundabout way. Elfmont and Cordelia had regained control over their mines, and Manborg was now a viable route for the new trade to move through. We were now secure in the reality that our crystal supplies were now no longer in the hands of a hostile foreign power.

_Were these plans to rolling back the networks already in place when the plan was first put together?_

We had to make modifications of course. Pirates shift ports, companies refile records, it had to be a clean slate or nothing at all. Course, we’d managed it still. Our advisors were accounted for, our agents kept safe, and the trail had been erased. That was when the attacks occurred on the border of the steppes.

_The first bombings._

Turns out that the tribes had been paying closer attention than we’d realized to what was happening in the world. They’d followed what was happening in the world to a closer degree than we had thought. Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood was incensed, and rightfully so, when they made a suicide attack on a post held by the Axe. He couldn’t believe that suddenly the tactics of the same groups we’d helped we being used against us.

_What was your own reaction?_

I was, honestly I was lost. The idea that the tribes would suddenly shift their tactics like this, start using the same tricks we’d been helping the rebels in Sonheim’s territory with, we couldn’t believe it. How did they manage to get these same techniques? Where had they gotten the explosives?

_What did your investigations reveal?_

It was a splinter of the MLA.

_What?_

It turns out that the refugees flooding out of Manborg weren’t just made up of civilians. The MLA had fighters leave with them. They’d set up a network running from our western to eastern borders, and were getting funding from the tribes trading with Beal. Hell, our own older weapons were being used against our forces. We had no idea where the lines were, who the contacts were, we were totally in the dark. Meanwhile CASK kept running, even after…

_Sir?_

Oh, the hell with it. We founded CASK, used contacts we’d made within the more militant resistance movements and used them to found CASK. We organized them as an umbrella group, had them run all the intelligence we needed out of the territories. We just…we needed an in. CASK was it. They gave us the groups to contact, where to send the arms, even what to instruct our advisors to look out for. We didn’t imagine that…

_They were using us as we tried to use them._

Gotta give’em this. They knew how to play us.

**Special Agent Porand – Interview 66**

The next leak came a few days later, it mentioned that we needed to look into the theft of weapons from a disposal site near Peacockton.

_Was this already a case?_

It was under the Army’s Investigative Service when it first occurred. The story was that a group of arms dealers had managed to slip in during a change of the guard, that they must’ve staked the place out for months before making the play. They cut the fence, managed to nullify the crystals used to monitor the area around the site for security. Army’s I.S. said that it was probably a group of opportunistic criminals, organized crime, why they wanted us on the crime families.

_And with the first leak?_

I was already suspicious, but I had to stop and think about this one. The other agents agreed that the drop about the hit and run was hinky, but it wasn’t enough. We spent two days brainstorming on the I.S. investigation, until we gave up and requested the files.

_What did the files say?_

There weren’t any.

_I’m sorry?_

The military is just as much a bureaucracy as any other part of government. You need to document everything, even if it’s just as simple as soldiers and sailors going to different parts of the base. Accountability at all times. So when they came back saying that they had nothing on file? We knew something was up.

_What was the reaction to this revelation?_

Frankly? We followed the evidence. So far we had a dead Sonheimic agent, and a missing Army file. We had CASK becoming associated with unkind individuals and knowing how we were acting towards them. It wasn’t looking good for our bosses.

_You suspected the NPA had been compromised?_

We suspected our bosses were being leaned on. Our minister of justice was my old boss, and I knew they wouldn’t let something like this slip unless they were being told to be quiet. Which means that someone above them was telling them to be quiet. And there’s only one person above the minister of justice.

_You suspected this went to the president?_

I followed the evidence, and so far all I had was that there was a conspiracy involving the Army, smuggled weapons, CASK, and a dead Sonheimic agent.

_Did you publish these findings?_

Publicly.

_And what happened?_

The bigwigs told us that we were to continue with the investigation. That they could shield us, but that we needed evidence. And we needed it fast.

**Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood – Interview 67**

I’d had my men stationed on the steppes keep their eyes open after what was happening. When we realized that CASK had gone rogue, we couldn’t afford to be blind anymore. I had the plan be that they needed to aggressively patrol the region, try to find the smuggling routes. Work with the friendly tribes and their militia units to keep the hostiles from hitting us like the snow queens were hit.

_Was this when the Quar-Esh Oasis was…_

*Redwood nods* We had set up the Quar-Esh oasis as a staging point for our desert patrols. The locals were members of the Faralt tribe, I’d visited them myself before I was appointed to the post of commander. Good people, saw that Ceannis was actually a nation that made sense. They knew that we wouldn’t do them like Beal wanted to.

_They had been allied with Ceannis for some time?_

A good twenty years. We’d helped them settle in from the nomadic life, helped a lot of their bands set up farmland and irrigation canals They’d become practical kings of the steppes, we were even willing to recommend them for full recognition as an independent dependency of Ceannis for taxation and development purposes. Quar-Esh was their masterpiece. We set up everything they’d need to carry on into the future.

_What happened at Quar-Esh?_

*Redwood goes silent*

_Sir?_

There had been intelligence that there were Partul raiding parties in the region. We wrote it off, left behind a detachment to defend the oasis along with their militia. We set a perimeter, had a rotating watch, the knight-major in charge of the situation did everything right.

_How long was the patrol away?_

A week, maybe two. The patrol hadn’t been away too long, but…

_Sir, we can-_

No! No, I’m telling this one.

When the patrol came back, nothing looked wrong. The watch was at the gates, the market was operating, nothing was out of the ordinary. Their crystals caught everything.

As the team got inside, the militia that went with them, they, they were acting antsy. You could tell on the recording, they were…

_Confused?_

You saw the recording.

_I did sir._

Then you know that when they reached the market they started asking why there were so few people around. That was when the militia shouted something, the militia on the ramparts…

The Partul had waited until the patrol left. Watched them from a distance on foot, we hadn’t expected them to try a trick like that, they’re joined to their mounts at the hips. They’d infiltrated the oasis when the patrol was out, they knew the numbers from watching us.

_Just like the Sonheimic rebels had._

Just like the Sonheimic rebels had.

Our people fought, God did they fight. I’m not saying the Faralt didn’t put up a fight. Hell, they were demons after what they knew happened. You saw the feed, there were Faralt militia taking down ten, twenty Partul warriors at a time. If it were just in the oasis they might have even fought back and won. Then the hunting horns sounded, and the feed faces the oasis gates, and…

Twenty Partul clans. _Twenty._ Do you understand what I’m saying? Two Partul clans is amazing to see together, three a miracle. Then you see twenty full clans, riding for war, speeding right at our people in the oasis. Some of them made a run for the gates, trying to seal’em off, but then the Partul in the town attacked them from the ramparts. Our people never had a chance.

 _Thank you sir, that’s all I need for_ -

It’s not the whole story, sit down. The bastards weren’t just content with killing my brothers and sisters, they wanted examples. They killed the Faralt militia quickly, it was their “honor” as being fellow brothers of the steppe. The Axe wasn’t so lucky. They recorded everything, every kill. They started with the enlisted first, they knew how we worked. Watching as your people, the ones you’re supposed to keep alive, watching as they’re killed in front of you? In some of the most horrific ways possible? One of those men, couldn’t have been more than a squire first class by his age, they gave him the Getsun Eagle. They cut the skin off his back, pinned it to his arms…I’ve never heard a human being scream like that in my life.

It went on, through the survivors, they killed all the men in a similar manner. God, I wish I could say that I don’t have nightmares anymore, but not after that feed. The fact that it was a live one too? God, how many children had to find out that their families weren’t whole anymore? I remember this one little girl, she was crying on the news feeds. She was crying because she’d seen her mother in the group. Knight-Master Sergeant Perin Pine. She wanted to know what happened to her mother, she didn’t understand.

_But the ending of the feed sir?_

“Your women will learn what happens when a Partul clan claims victory.” I hope to the stars that kid never finds out what that means. Unfortunately I’m too much of a cynic to believe it won’t happen. Just like how the rebel territories learned the hard way what happens when you piss off the BSS.


	9. Chapter 9

**Section 9 – Beginning of the End**

**Gen. Silverthorn – Interview 68**

Even with the pro-Sonheimic militias reinstated to their operational status, the United Northern Alliance was little different from their previous incarnations. They were organized thugs used by Sonheim to intimidate the local population into bowing to Sonheim’s authority. For a short time it was an acceptable situation, but the operations led by the BSS were severely hindering the operations of the rebel groups. That was when the MLA and Dark Autumn organized the assassination of one of the leading groups of the leading anti-terrorist group within the BSS.

_The assassination of the Manborg Men._

Dark Autumn sent several of their best to assist in the operation, they staked out the BSS forces for weeks. It was one of their longest operations, they marked down everything. Who they met with, ate with, had affairs with. Their vices, the number of steps they walked to get a morning pastry. Three months of investigation into their targets, and on a cool Autumn morning the plan went into motion.

_What specifically happened?_

We pieced together what happened after the fact. The assassinations were scattered over Manborg’s capital city, a surgical strike to decapitate BSS operations.

_How many BSS agents were killed in total?_

Fifteen. The rough timeline is as such. At about 0632, a trio of MLA men caught a BSS officer pursuing his daily physical fitness routine on a field in the city. His body was found with this throat cut and personal crystal stolen. Simultaneously, a trio of BSS officers were attacked at a café by a pair of MLA men who neutralized them with a blast from a Mk. 1.

At roughly 0715, the rest of the neutralizations were carried out. One man was murdered walking out of a meeting of a local UNA lodge by two Dark Autumn rebels disguised as newspaper boys. A BSS agent walking through a nearby market was stabbed in the throat and neutralized by an MLA rebel. A high-ranking BSS agent was shot in his carriage by two rebels on unicorn. Three BSS agents were neutralized when a bomb was detonated in their carriage. Four were shot by a trio of Dark Autumn fighters during a daily breakfast at a favorite restaurant. One was neutralized when he was found in the apartment of his lover, and the ranking figure of the BSS anti-terrorism unit was killed in his personal apartment by two MLA leaders.

_What was the end result of the assassination?_

The MLA and Dark Autumn secured any personal crystals that weren’t destroyed during the assaults, it was an intelligence coup for their operations. The BSS had been humiliated, and a bond had been forged between the MLA and Dark Autumn that still carries on to this day.

_But the BSS didn’t take this lightly._

The BSS doesn’t like being humiliated. The PSB and Army could be humiliated as much as they wanted, but the BSS were smarter than this. What was worse, the BSS didn’t like vampires any more than the rebel groups. If they were going to show that they weren’t to be trifled with any longer. They were going to make an example of the locals.

_What happened?_

It wasn’t just one singular incident like before. It was a series of incidents. In the Manborg countryside, there were several ambushes by Sonheim Army Divine Guard on local personal carriages. Any occupants inside were killed, their bodies desecrated, and left for the locals to bury themselves. It didn’t help that the countryside became a running battle between MLA sharpshooter teams and the Divine Guard.

_Why did they choose the Divine Guard_

The Divine Guard are geared towards consistent deployments and being Sonheim’s troubleshooting force. As such, they work closely with the BSS. Which also means that they’ve accustomed typical BSS methods.

*Silence for several seconds*

It was soon after this that we found intelligence of what was happening in Manborg to local civilians. The BSS used the UNA to grab men and women in public. Men and women they suspected being associates of the MLA, whether being related to their members or supplying them with intelligence or supplies. The ones they suspected of only playing minor roles were killed. Their bodies were left in public, a warning against further support for the MLA.

_The lucky ones?_

Those that the BSS considered to be active agents supporting the MLA in any kind of major capacity were kept alive, only they were tortured. No method was off limits to the BSS. We found crystal feeds of people being waterboarded. They used acid baths to force confessions. Some were electrocuted, the leads were hooked to everything from fingers and toes to their genitals. The more sadistic BSS agents used leads that could be held against a subject’s eyes.

_Thank you sir, I’m-_

Some wouldn’t break after that kind of treatment though. They would lose their fingernails on both hands, even all their toenails. They could have their entire scalp of hair ripped out in chunks and not give up anything. Sleep deprivation could break some of them, keep a man awake long enough and he’ll be willing to do anything to get to sleep. Of course, if you find a true believer you can inflict as much pain on them as you want and not get them to break. That’s where the BSS loves to break out their most painful methods.

_Sir you just said-_

If you punch a man, he’ll recover. He may even thank you for it. If you break his legs he’ll walk funny, but he can walk. Rip out his hair, it regrows. You don’t break a man by just physically assaulting him. You destroy his sense of self to do it. You lock him in a small room with his own thoughts and force him to only eat food like he’d get at home. You force him to walk through the middle of a town naked, and force his locals to not only laugh at him, but to beat him with sticks. Not just half-hearted slaps, full-on beatings. You take the subject into a room and line up the most violent sexual deviants you have access to with a promise to let them do whatever they want. If you really want to have sport with the prisoner you don’t bind them or drug them, you give them a chance to fight. The numbers work against them so that by the time they’re finally held down they have just enough adrenaline to keep them awake and alert for what happens when they fall. If you’re cisgender, they make sure you’re raped by the same sex because to them that’s a hilarious fate. If you’re not, you’re still raped repeatedly. You’re humiliated in every conceivable way. You’re forced to wear a collar and leash and “walked” around a cold, concrete room like a misbehaving pet. You’re treated like a toy for every sexually frustrated member of the facility you’re held in. Sometimes the vampires are offered the paid privilege to feed on an enemy of Sonheim, along with all the other humiliations.

_Sir-_

They force you to eat and drink your own waste. Their own waste, the waste of your fellow prisoners. They force good soldiers to mutilate their own comrades, even innocent civilians. They force young privates barely out of basic to kill each other for food. Some days they won’t even give enough food to feed you, and you’re left with a starving soldier in a room with no food and a dead human body and then you find them three weeks after and they’re a dead husk of a human being with no mind to speak of and you knew them because you pinned the medal on their chest just before their patrol and-

_Sir!_

What!

_The interview, sir!_

*Silverthorn blinks, turns his chair away* The interview is over.

**Mr. Macaster – Interview 69**

The rumors out of the territories only drove people against Sonheim, there was no escaping it now. Of course, by now the plans were fully public. Elfmont was to be rejoined with their home nation, as long as the ELF was disbanded and disarmed. Manborg was going to be reformed as their own nation again, as long as the Sonheimic enclaves in the north were kept as part of Sonheim. Cordelia had to accept that at least two regions were going to remain apart, but they weren’t part of Sonheim any longer either. The locals there weren’t Cordelian, they wanted their own nation too, but we know what Cordelia did after that.

_What about your investigations?_

Well by now it was obvious that Something hinky was going on. I’d gotten my own anonymous tips on something related to that hit and run that got me on this trail, and I followed it right to the NPA investigation, and the Sonheimic connections. Only I didn’t think it was Sonheim, they like to make sure people know when an asset is burned. No, only we like to keep our actions quiet. I did some footwork, paid some tolls, and I found out that that warehouse had gotten a lot of unmarked shipments in “fruit stock” to be sent to Tamapoa.

_Fruit stock to Tamapoa?_

Can you believe that bull? I mean, yeah, people bought it, but it was just ridiculous that this was their brilliant cover. Following that, we traced the shipments as best we could, and found out that there were a lot of corporations and shipping concerns involved for just fruit stock. What’s more a lot of those concerns ran through waters that before were filled with pirate fleets and now were as quiet as a graveyard. We dug a little further, and the pirates in that region had actually been more active until just a few weeks before we had the anonymous tip. It was like the pirates were emboldened, and then they were gone from the face of the planet.

_What did you think as you went?_

I put it together like this: Man dies in what I think is a hit and run at a warehouse that’s rather secretive. A few weeks later, a nation that’s a rival to Ceannis begins to have problems with rebels that are suddenly armed and effective at what they do. Sonheim suffers, and we put a national hero in to speak on the matter. Sonheim continues to suffer, as we go through a price spike in crystals and gemstones. Ceannic people don’t notice the crystal spike at first because they’re so wrapped up in the “heroic” actions of the rebel groups. A new group springs out of nowhere that’s coordinating the donations going to the rebels from our nation, culminating in the near-destruction of the rebel groups who still achieve their goals and a sudden drop in pirate activity to the West.

_Was this enough evidence at the time?_

It was enough to publish an initial story. *Macaster brings up headline on his desk crystal*

*HIT AND COVER-UP: Man Killed To Hide Illegal Arms Shipments*

Of course, we knew that Sonheim wasn’t going to make it public.

_Who do you believe was behind this?_

I know who the government will say wasn’t behind it.

**Knight-Corporal Kudzu Kalat – Interview 70**

_Knight-Corporal Kudzu Kalat offered to speak to the interviewer without conditions in his personal apartment in the capital._

_Subject age: 29_

_Former Rank: Knight-Corporal, Order of the Knife._

_Family: N/A_

You know, the contracts you sign in the military don’t just tell you what they can order you to do. They also tell you that you can get all kinds of fun injections as well.

_You’re referring to the flu vaccines the military issues every year?_

Hardly. This one was experimental, designed to work against Equatorial Malaria. This was just before the pharma concerns put out their own version, so the stuff we got worked. Just didn’t work without even worse side-effects.

_What do you mean?_

*Kudzu smokes a cigarette* Two months. Turns out my nervous system is being destroyed as a result of the vaccine not being properly tested before they issued it out to us. I’ve got two months until my entire body is left a quivering sack of jelly. Seems the modifications they made to the virus made it into a real hungry type for nerve cells. The next time anyone tells you magic cures everything, they’re a fucking liar. So I figure if I’m gonna go out, I might as well tell-all. Make my name in the records before I disappear forever.

_What do you know about the dismantling of CASK?_

Well that was your typical behind the fence operation. We had to clean up what the government messed around with and couldn’t let the people know about. We’d already cleaned up the pirates and the disposable assets from Doyon to the U.I.

_By disposable assets-_

I mean people. Shipping managers, ship captains, carriage drivers, whole ships of pirates. It’s pretty simple to engineer a sea monster attack, just kill the smaller ones and pin their bodies to the ship. No witnesses and the scene sanitizes itself. The ones that aren’t at sea you just kill in their safehouses and ports, they’ve got enough enemies that they don’t care. The local authorities try to put up an investigation but they never let it go anywhere. One more pirate out of the picture. Some of our people were even tasked with taking care of a few Tamapoan information brokers. It’s pretty easy to take those ones out. There’s even a cadence about it.

_A cadence?_

Little Tamapoan on my windowsill/Little Tamapoan doin’ what they will/Lured him in with a piece of bread/He came close I crushed his head/Me oh my I’m such a klutz/Missed his head and crushed his nuts

Piece of cake killing them, the real bitch is cleaning the underside of your boots off.

_And the civilian deaths?_

At the time, it was easy enough to tell myself it was necessary. The Knife’s the nation’s sin-eaters. You know the myth?

_I’m afraid not, no._

Long ago, the people were sinful. So sinful that they realized their sins were innumerable. They just laid around the streets, nearly choking them. So a few brave souls realized someone had to devour the sins in the streets. In being the ones willing to take in the sins of others, they made it possible for mankind to live. That’s what the Knife does. We clean up the nation’s sins and mistakes to make sure it can still carry on. So when I killed those men and women and others, it’s because I needed to. Because if I didn’t, Ceannis would be hit with so many sanctions and embargoes that we’d be crippled. The day I got back from my mission in the U.I., Romarin had barely just negotiated a deal for gemstone supplies with Elfmont’s government. If this shit came out, Elfmont would be pressured into cutting off the gemstone trade and our economy would threaten to collapse as prices continued to rise for gem-based products.

_So you believe the killings could be justified?_

No, I know they were essential.

_What did you know about the deaths of the leadership of CASK and their affiliate groups?_

They knew everything. Who was involved, where the weapons came from, names and places. If the Tribune was publishing stories about this, there was no doubt the NPA was closing in. So, we decided to show them that you can’t beat the masters.

_I’m sorry?_

Those idiots thought that because we weren’t Sonheim we couldn’t do anything to them. We didn’t exactly what we taught them to do in their own homelands. Tracked them, noted their vices, times of specific habits and actions, it was so simple as to be insulting. They took the same routes everywhere, ate their favorite foods, I mean can you believe that? There they are, preaching about their brave brothers and sisters in the rebel movements starving to death and being raped by Sonheim, and then turn right around spending their money on fine foods and sex workers.

_So the Knife did kill their leadership?_

It wasn’t their leadership, every one of those idiots was put into power by the Romarin administration.

_I’m sorry?_

Well we were already going to supply them with the materials to make a war with. We bankrolled several militant leaders to take over these groups, bought out or intimidated the opposition leaders to go along with the idea that it was time to strike back. CASK wasn’t even their idea, it was ours. None of their bagmen here could work together worth a damn, so we thought up CASK to actually pool the resources and get them to start pulling actual weight. We got the contacts and groups to contact, they got the money and weapons. CASK had served their purpose, we got our gemstones again.

_So you felt nothing was wrong with what was-_

Hardly. These bastards were using the whole damn thing to line their pockets and live the good life. A few of them were even planning on taking offices in Manborg and Ceannis claiming that they’d helped fight the war by “providing the money and weapons”. If they’d done that Sonheim would’ve thrown a fit, and then there’s another border war. By now you’ve probably figured out what Silverthorn would’ve done if he’d been given the chance to avenge what happened to his people in Northern Command.

_So all the deaths were caused by the Knife?_

Well, some were indirect.

_How so?_

Well some of those assholes had made enemies north of the border. The BSS had sent in several teams to try and solve that particular problem after the Equinox, and they were already in the process of readying their own teams to take care of these assholes.

_And this wasn’t considered a problem?_

Sonheim wanted them gone and so did we. It was a mutually beneficial situation. We just gave Sonheim the, let’s call it “opening” to do our work in our stead.

_You’re saying that the Knife allowed agents of a foreign power to kill Ceannic citizens?_

Hardly. Those ones we did ourselves. The ones the BSS handled were still citizens of Sonheim, they’d never given up the title in case they had a chance to return and take power. We didn’t let them take out anyone with Ceannic citizenship. We just made sure that when they were taken down, we secured everything. Documents, paper trails, crystals, anything and everything that could connect us with the rebel groups.

_So, what did you do to the ones who were Ceannic citizens?_

I was given one of CASK’s money men, fellow was funneling CASK donations to the rebels and skimming off the top to do it. Way I saw it, we weren’t losing anything by killing his ass. He liked to frequent a particular hotel, met up with a favorite girl of his. Found out just before we went in that she was BSS too, making a similar play like we were.

_Why do you mention that?_

Because it turns out killing her was a good thing.

_You were planning on killing her but you didn’t know she was a BSS operative?_

Witnesses typically aren’t good to leave around.

_Why?_

They usually testify.

_I’m sorry. Why are you telling me this? Why be so open during this interview? You contacted the official archives, why do this?_

Petty vengeance really. That vaccine is gonna kill me, and since I signed my name away that day I’ll be given nothing for it but some painkillers and a burial in a military cemetery. Fuck them, I might as well throw a torch to things after I’m gone. You want the truth? Romarin’s got dirt, more dirt than you can imagine. Behind the pies and the Kopolvision, she’s as crooked and dirty as every other politician and president. Leachtric didn’t get to become a leader without dirtying her hands, Romarin’s no different. The rebels gave her their blood and we got our gems. Ask some of those advisors how they’re doing now. Ask them what kind of jobs they’ve been holding. I’m sure those answers will be very enlightening.

_That’s all?_

You know, people think that the monster hunters are some kind of gods among men. Really? They’re the heroes? Please. It’s easy to kill a vampire or a dragon, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. All it takes is numbers or power. What we do is different. We have to kill people that society says don’t deserve to die. People who are supposed to be allowed to live.

_Because someone has to do it._

Sin, shit, same thing man.

**Special Agent Porand – Interview 71**

With the CASK leadership dead the investigation was effectively halted. We suspected it was Sonheimic agents mainly because we didn’t want to face the unthinkable possibility that it was our own nation. Unfortunately my superiors put that in the final documentation, meaning that it was the official report. I was given my current assignment, and since then I’ve become the top-cop in Peacockton. Amazing, isn’t it.

_You didn’t agree?_

I tried to explain to my superiors that the investigation wasn’t over, that this was only a preliminary report.

_They didn’t listen._

They did. They just didn’t care.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich. – Interview 72**

When I finally got my life in Ceannis started, I found out that back in the territories things had deteriorated. Without CASK funneling in money the political groups had been forced to negotiate and work with Sonheim’s government. Some of the same vampires that killed my friends and comrades were now speaking beside the new politicians who’d chosen to give up on a liberated Manborg.

_You’re speaking of the remaining six regions that remained._

“Manborg unfree can never see peace.” I believed it then, I believe it now. As long as those six regions remain as “ethnic enclaves”, the fighting will continue.

_How did you react when you learned that the leadership of CASK and the affiliate groups were dead?_

By that point I could care less about them. They were like the politicians, willing to work with the ones who used us. I suppose by the time I arrived in Ceannis, I had opened my eyes wide and full. Manborg couldn’t rely on anyone. Just ourselves. I had no fight left in me, if Ceannis wanted to cover up their crimes, let them. I just wanted a roof over my head and a place to sleep. *Motions to the apartment* Long live Manborg.


	10. Chapter 10

**Section 10 – Complete**

**Special Agent Porand**

Well when I was put in charge of the Peacockton office I made organized crime our top priority. We went after U.I. families with a vengeance, frankly the whole office needed a palate cleanser after what we’d found. It was almost therapeutic in a way too. No questions of right and wrong, no moral implications or government cover-up. Just us, crime, and being able to stop it without anyone telling us lies. Well, no more lies than usual.

_But you’ve remained in this position ever since._

I don’t mind. I’ve seen what happens the closer you get to the capital. As long as Romarin keeps funding us and keeps a good hand on the military’s leash, we’ll be doing the real work of keeping the country safe. Those guys can stir up as much trouble as they want, I want no part of it.

**Mr. Macaster**

Well after the legwork I put in, the editors put me in charge of the crime desk, figured I had a nose for the right new. And hell, they were right. I put our people to the streets, we were doing between five to ten stories a paper. Hell, we were out-reporting the blogs and feeds; quality and speed, that was my belief. I still don’t know who those tipsters were, but whoever they turn out to be, they made the right call.

_Because you became editor-in-chief?_

I was gonna say because they did the patriotic thing by guiding me on the right path, but that works too.

**Mrs. Persil**

Muscade and I justified what we did by telling ourselves we were making sure justice was done, only for the Knife to literally stab us and the nation in the back. Without the trials of those men and women we were left with nothing, not a shred of proof that Silverthorn and the military did anything wrong. Hopefully one day these recordings will become public, because I can’t sleep well until I know they are. Mr. Muscade would say the same thing.

**Mr. Larson-Pavelovich**

Eventually I began to work at a small bakery, a little family runs it and they took me in. They told me they were in danger of going bankrupt until the prices of gemstones dropped once more. I’m grateful of course, but I…I haven’t told them of what I did back in my homeland.

_Why not?_

You don’t sound as nervous as when you started these interviews. You should be proud of that. I haven’t because I don’t want to remember it anymore. There were good times, of course, times when I still remember singing the old songs with my comrades and other rebels, celebrating the day we would drive out Sonheim from our homes and lands. Then I pick up the papers or go on the feeds and read about the MLA splinters, fighting with each other and killing Sonheimic civilians. About the Sonheimic Army colluding with the UNA to kill civilians that never had anything to do with the MLA. Officially the Manborg government has nothing to do with the rebels anymore. Even though it was those same rebels that allowed them to form in the first place. They say that the question of the six regions is too complicated, that it needs to be answered later.

_You don’t have any thoughts then?_

My only thoughts are that I’m tired, and I need to be up early for work tomorrow for Summerfest.

_Do you have any regrets for what you did?_

No. I made my choice when I became a member of the MLA. I made my choices as a leader in their operations. I admit it, I enjoyed killing those elves. I still feel a little pride and happiness when I read about an MLA bombing on a PSB checkpoint or Army foot patrol. I just wish it had turned out differently.

**Knight-Sgt. Phacelia**

I was elated when I learned that Cordelia had finally become a nation, but by the time my wife and I moved in I started to hear rumors that they were becoming aggressive with their internal policies. In territories where there were ethnic-majority Sonheimic communities they were building settlements, illegal projects that they made to push out the Sonheimic locals to claim the remaining territories. This wasn’t the Cordelia that the men and women I fought with wanted. They just wanted their homeland back, they didn’t care who lived in it so long as they could at least run their own lives again. Wasn’t long after that I started to punch anyone who talked about Sonheim being a “decent nation”. I remember this one time, I was at a reunion for members of the Axe, and the guest of honor was Muscade’s daughter.

_Oh no._

It was worth it. Heard they needed to have a dentist put the teeth I knocked out back in, she can’t ever speak Sonheimic again though. *Phacelia laughs*

_Do you have any regrets for what you did?_

Some. If there was anything I would have done differently, it would have been during the Equinox. We should have planned for the vampires, brought in aid from the monster hunters. God, that was stupidity on our part. Still, I don’t regret knowing those rebels. I’d also have gotten it in writing that I could go see a counselor or therapist. Seeing as what happened technically never happened, I’ve been forced to self-medicate when things get really bad. So you can imagine how much my personal time with my wife has suffered since I’ve started talking with you.

_I’m sorry?_

Whiskey dick affects anyone, penis or no.

**Knight-Capt. Saguaro**

Turns out the ERM didn’t take the return to their homeland so well. The economy in Elfmont had to take the hit of bringing everything that Sonheim had left to wither back up to their standards. As much as they tried to put the ERM members into positions they could work in, most of them were still a little hungry for snow queens in the ground. They’re running drugs now too, they’re more like a crime family than the fighters for a reunited Elfmont.

_And Dark Autumn?_

Dark Autumns nothing but terrorists now. Sometimes it’s military targets sure, but others they’re planting bombs in schools and using civilians as shields while they escape. I never taught my cell to act like that, none of us did. They took what happened with Gershatok and made it standard operating procedure. Civilian casualties happen, better to make them worthwhile instead of trying to dance around them and endanger operations.

_And when you were discharged?_

I tried to go into work, but it looked like all the time I spent in Sonheim was just a blank space on my employment. Even as a former knight-captain I couldn’t get decent work if I couldn’t explain that kind of gap. By the time the bureaucrats came up with a good excuse I was here, tending bar and slinging food. Still, place makes good reindeer steak so I can’t complain. I tried to talk with Estragon after what happened, but then I learned that he was still with that damn snow queen.

_That affected you?_

Estragon is always going to be a man I respect for his killing of the dragon. But I can’t go near that snow queen. Not after the Equinox. Not after seeing what his people are capable of doing when you go after their control.

_Do you have any regrets for what you did?_

Plenty. I regret not being a better advisor, not making plans for if they would send out vampires, not being able to save more of my old cell. God, I have loads of regrets. One thing I don’t regret, doing what I had to do. My nation gave me an order, I followed it. End of story.

**Mr. Blackleaf**

Overall Operation UNION was a success. All military and economic objectives were met; Sonheim’s Army had suffered casualties, our gemstone supply was secured, and all knowledge of our involvement was kept out of the public sphere. If the rebel groups are still operating it’s because Sonheim still hasn’t learned their lesson.

_Do you have any regrets for your actions?_

Of course not. This is the dance of nations, each movement part of a larger waltz. I’m sure Sonheim will try something against us, hell they’re probably looking at the tribes the same way we looked at the rebels. For my own part, I’m out of the game now, just trying to live a quiet retirement. Not many people in my line of work can claim it, I can tell you that.

**Paladin-Cmdr. Redwood**

I tried to fight for the advisors we sent in, get them counseling and a stable financial foothold, but Muscade fought me at every turn. He didn’t say it out loud, but it was his payback for ruining his relationship with the snow queens. I’m still taking the matter up though, won’t stop until I’m dead. Hell, if I wind up being a long-runner I’ll still keep that fight going.

_Do you have any regrets for your actions?_

Of course I do. The East is practically burning now, the Partul and Relam with their alliance have weakened our border security near Beal and we’re still losing soldiers and knights. There’s even rumblings that the Faralts and Wekuns are trying to keep down a few splinter clans that want to join up with the new “Steppe Brotherhood” that’s formed. It won’t spread, won’t do much long-term harm either. It’ll cause trouble though, and Beal can play into that kind of trouble to expand their borders. Not much I can do about it though. *Motions to the memorial* Won’t be put up on that wall, for sure. I missed my chance, not that I’m complaining. Best damn job in the world.

**Adm. Kelp**

The NID continues to keep tabs on what’s happening in Sonheim through their admiralty. So far they’ve spent more than ten percent of their military budget on keeping down the rebels. For Sonheim that’s a huge expense, even backing the UNA isn’t enough anymore. There’s rumors they’ll send in the Divine Guard again, but I doubt it. They’re too valuable keeping at the embassies, and keeping the king and royal family alive. The MLA did a number on their sense of safety when they made that bombing at their winter vacation palace.

_Do you have any regrets for your actions?_

I’d like to say I do, but I honestly can’t. My sailors came back alive from an operation that could have killed them, and accomplished what they set out to do. I made sure that if the Romarin administration wasn’t going to afford them anything for their service, I’d do it myself. It wasn’t easy, but eventually I convinced my husband to expand his business along the coast. People like taking to the waves with sailors aboard their boats, makes them feel at ease. Brings in good money too, we’re edging out every rival pleasure boat business in the nation. So who knows, maybe soon we’ll be able to help out the knights that are still struggling to find good work. Lord knows I’ve heard they need it.

**Gen. Silverthorn**

At present crystal prices have slowly decreased in all sectors of the economy. The Sonheimic military has attempted to make contact with the steppe tribes, though their efforts have been consistently rebuffed. The tribes claim that they’ll be used the same way the rebels were used and want nothing to do with any outsiders. That’s all I have to say on the matter. You’re dismissed.

_Not yet sir._

Not yet?

_You planned it all out. Convinced the Romarin administration it was the right thing to do. Even managed to do it._

What are you getting at?

_Did you finally get your revenge?_

When my daughter died, my wife said a part of me went with her. It happened when I was with Northern Command. When my men strayed off that patrol route. After what happened my wife told me that the part was my compassion. I suppose she wasn’t wrong in that respect. We crippled Sonheim, destroyed their hold on their territories, and made them an even greater international pariah than before. So in response to your next question of if I have any regrets, that’s an obvious answer.

_No?_

More than I could ever list.

**_Archivists Notes_ **

**_Well there’s no way any of these interviews are seeing the light of day as long as Romarin is president. Hell, as long as she’s a long-runner. She never even gave me a chance to interview her, so we’ll never know what she’d thought of the mess, or even if she was happy with everything that happened._ **

**_Still, to whatever poor archivist finds this one after me, make sure you check on when this is supposed to be declassified. Muscade and Persil didn’t do shit, Macaster and Poran would have found their way eventually, make sure that’s noted._ **

**_Also make a note of every knight, soldier, and sailor who was an advisor. If this ever does come out, make sure that the government answers for every life it ruined. And make a special note that it may have been formulated by Gen. Silverthorn, but it was Romarin who ordered it to proceed because she didn't stand up against the vampires._ **


End file.
